ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Oct 2025
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
November 2025
Nuclear Technology
October 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
American Fuel Resources requests license for N.M. uranium deconversion plant
American Fuel Resources, a provider a nuclear fuel cycle solutions headquartered in Spokane, Wash., has submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requesting transfer of a materials license from Idaho-based radioisotope manufacturer International Isotopes for a depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) deconversion plant in Lea County, N.M.
J. G. Moore, R. H. Rainey
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 11 | Number 3 | November 1961 | Pages 278-284
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE61-A26004
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Laboratory experiments have demonstrated the chemical feasibility of incorporating soluble salts of the neutron poisons boron, cadmium, samarium, and gadolinium in solutions associated with the processing of Consolidated Edison reactor fuel (stainless steel-clad 96% ThO2-4% highly enriched UO2). At room temperature at least 0.3 M boron or neutron cross section equivalent is soluble in the 6 M H2SO4 decladding solution or Thorex dissolvent (13 M HNO3-0.04 M F-0.1 M Al(NO3)3. None of the poisons were volatilized to a significant extent (i.e., <6%) during evaporation for fuel adjustment. Distribution coefficients obtained in batch extraction tests indicated low extraction of these nuclear poisons from nitrate solutions by TBP in Amsco. Single-cycle countercurrent batch extractions with the acid Thorex flowsheet, which uses 30% TBP, gave decontamination factors from uranium for boron, cadmium, and rare earths of ≧1 × 104, > 1.5 × 103, and > 104, respectively. Countercurrent batch extractions with 2.5% TBP in Amsco resulted in concentrations of boron, rare earths, and cadmium in the uranium product which were at the limits of analytical detection, i.e., 2.5, <4, and <17 ppm, respectively. Two cycles of extraction should decrease the concentration of the nuclear poisons to acceptable levels for fuel recycle.