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Division Spotlight
Materials Science & Technology
The objectives of MSTD are: promote the advancement of materials science in Nuclear Science Technology; support the multidisciplines which constitute it; encourage research by providing a forum for the presentation, exchange, and documentation of relevant information; promote the interaction and communication among its members; and recognize and reward its members for significant contributions to the field of materials science in nuclear technology.
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Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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!
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Latest News
Vogtle-3 shuts down for valve issue
One of the new Vogtle units in Georgia was shut down unexpectedly on Monday last week for a valve issue that has since been investigated and repaired. According to multiple local news outlets, Georgia Power reported on July 17 that Unit 3 was back in service.
Southern Company spokesperson Jacob Hawkins confirmed that Vogtle-3 went off line at 9:25 p.m. local time on July 8 “due to lowering water levels in the steam generators caused by a valve issue on one of the three main feedwater pumps.”
Yoshiharu Sakamura, Takashi Omori
Nuclear Technology | Volume 171 | Number 3 | September 2010 | Pages 266-275
Technical Paper | Pyro 08 Special / Reprocessing | doi.org/10.13182/NT10-A10861
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Two series of pyrochemical reprocessing tests for oxide fuels, consisting of pretreatment, electrolytic reduction, and electrorefining processes, were conducted using [approximately]100 g of UO2. In the pretreatment process, UO2 pellets of the starting material were oxidized into U3O8 powder, which simulated fuel decladding by voloxidation. Then, UO2 sinter with a porosity of 30 to 38% was fabricated from the U3O8 powder. Two cathode baskets charged with [approximately]100 g of the UO2 sinter were prepared, and two electrolytic reduction tests were carried out in a LiCl-Li2O electrolyte at 650°C. The results suggested that the reduction to uranium metal could be completed within 10 h with the current efficiency >62%. It was verified that the porous UO2 sinter was of great advantage to the electrolytic reduction process. In the subsequent electrorefining process, the reduction products were charged in two anode baskets, and electrolysis was carried out in a LiCl-KCl-UCl3 electrolyte at 500°C. Within 8 h, most of the uranium metal was anodically dissolved into the electrolyte with the current efficiency >88%. Dendritic uranium metal was collected on a stainless steel cathode. Consequently, it was demonstrated that a refined uranium metal could be produced from UO2 pellets with a high degree of efficiency.