Evaluation of recycle pathways for out-of-specification uranium microspheres from the internal gelation process

R. D. Hunt; J. W. McMurray; J. A. Johnson; J. D. Hunn; T. J. Haverlock; T. J. Reif; D. R. Brown

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2019.06.004

Evaluation of recycle pathways for out-of-specification uranium microspheres from the internal gelation process

R. D. Hunt, J. W. McMurray, J. A. Johnson, J. D. Hunn, T. J. Haverlock, T. J. Reif, D. R. Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

During the production of uranium oxide microspheres with carbon using internal gelation, a small fraction of microspheres will not meet the required size or sphericity specification. The uranium microspheres with carbon can be rejected after they have been air-dried or converted into uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) kernels. The next step for the rejected spheres was an air oxidation for carbon removal. The air-dried spheres became triuranium octoxide (U₃O₈) spheres, which were sometimes ground into powder. The UCO kernels became U₃O₈ powder during the air oxidation. The next recycle step was nitric acid dissolution of the U₃O₈ spheres or powders to produce acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solutions, which were used to make new uranium oxide microspheres with carbon and subsequently UCO kernels. The kinetics of the acid dissolution process were compared, and the impurity levels in the different ADUN solutions were determined. X-ray diffraction results for the UCO kernels from the initial and recycled ADUN solutions indicate that changes in the impurity levels can impact the uranium carbide to uranium dicarbide ratio in the UCO kernels.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	54-59
Number of pages	6
Journal	Annals of Nuclear Energy
Volume	134
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.06.004
State	Published - Dec 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through a contract with UT-Battelle LLC. Funding was provided by a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Concept Cooperative Agreement with X-energy LLC. The work was performed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the auspices of the Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division.

Funders	Funder number
UT-Battelle LLC
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Nuclear Energy

Keywords

Carbon black
Internal gelation
Recycle
Uranium carbide and oxide kernels

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.anucene.2019.06.004

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title = "Evaluation of recycle pathways for out-of-specification uranium microspheres from the internal gelation process",

abstract = "During the production of uranium oxide microspheres with carbon using internal gelation, a small fraction of microspheres will not meet the required size or sphericity specification. The uranium microspheres with carbon can be rejected after they have been air-dried or converted into uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) kernels. The next step for the rejected spheres was an air oxidation for carbon removal. The air-dried spheres became triuranium octoxide (U3O8) spheres, which were sometimes ground into powder. The UCO kernels became U3O8 powder during the air oxidation. The next recycle step was nitric acid dissolution of the U3O8 spheres or powders to produce acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solutions, which were used to make new uranium oxide microspheres with carbon and subsequently UCO kernels. The kinetics of the acid dissolution process were compared, and the impurity levels in the different ADUN solutions were determined. X-ray diffraction results for the UCO kernels from the initial and recycled ADUN solutions indicate that changes in the impurity levels can impact the uranium carbide to uranium dicarbide ratio in the UCO kernels.",

keywords = "Carbon black, Internal gelation, Recycle, Uranium carbide and oxide kernels",

author = "Hunt, {R. D.} and McMurray, {J. W.} and Johnson, {J. A.} and Hunn, {J. D.} and Haverlock, {T. J.} and Reif, {T. J.} and Brown, {D. R.}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.anucene.2019.06.004",

language = "English",

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AU - Haverlock, T. J.

AU - Reif, T. J.

AU - Brown, D. R.

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N2 - During the production of uranium oxide microspheres with carbon using internal gelation, a small fraction of microspheres will not meet the required size or sphericity specification. The uranium microspheres with carbon can be rejected after they have been air-dried or converted into uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) kernels. The next step for the rejected spheres was an air oxidation for carbon removal. The air-dried spheres became triuranium octoxide (U3O8) spheres, which were sometimes ground into powder. The UCO kernels became U3O8 powder during the air oxidation. The next recycle step was nitric acid dissolution of the U3O8 spheres or powders to produce acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solutions, which were used to make new uranium oxide microspheres with carbon and subsequently UCO kernels. The kinetics of the acid dissolution process were compared, and the impurity levels in the different ADUN solutions were determined. X-ray diffraction results for the UCO kernels from the initial and recycled ADUN solutions indicate that changes in the impurity levels can impact the uranium carbide to uranium dicarbide ratio in the UCO kernels.

AB - During the production of uranium oxide microspheres with carbon using internal gelation, a small fraction of microspheres will not meet the required size or sphericity specification. The uranium microspheres with carbon can be rejected after they have been air-dried or converted into uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) kernels. The next step for the rejected spheres was an air oxidation for carbon removal. The air-dried spheres became triuranium octoxide (U3O8) spheres, which were sometimes ground into powder. The UCO kernels became U3O8 powder during the air oxidation. The next recycle step was nitric acid dissolution of the U3O8 spheres or powders to produce acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solutions, which were used to make new uranium oxide microspheres with carbon and subsequently UCO kernels. The kinetics of the acid dissolution process were compared, and the impurity levels in the different ADUN solutions were determined. X-ray diffraction results for the UCO kernels from the initial and recycled ADUN solutions indicate that changes in the impurity levels can impact the uranium carbide to uranium dicarbide ratio in the UCO kernels.

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KW - Recycle

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JO - Annals of Nuclear Energy

JF - Annals of Nuclear Energy

ER -

Evaluation of recycle pathways for out-of-specification uranium microspheres from the internal gelation process

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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