Investigation of Aluminides as Potential Matrix Materials for Inert Matrix Nuclear Fuels

Low Temperature Sintering of Si3N4 Ceramics and its Applicability as an Inert Matrix of the Transuranium Elements for Transmutation of Minor Actinides

Key Engineering Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.403.23 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 403 ◽

pp. 23-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Toyohiko Yano ◽

Junichi Yamane ◽

Katsumi Yoshida

Keyword(s):

Low Temperature ◽

Neutron Irradiation ◽

Sintering Behavior ◽

Minor Actinides ◽

Pressureless Sintering ◽

Transuranium Element ◽

Nuclear Fuels ◽

Inert Matrix ◽

Nitride Ceramics ◽

Si3n4 Ceramics

For the transmutation of the very long half-lived isotopes which are separated from the spent nuclear fuels, it is necessary to find proper inert matrices these are stable under heavy neutron irradiation at high temperature. Silicon nitride ceramics is a candidate since it is very tolerant for heavy neutron irradiation and keeps relatively high thermal conductivity. For these reasons, we try to sinter Si3N4 ceramics containing large amounts of CeO2 as a simulant for Am2O3, a typical transuranium element. The low-temperature pressureless-sintering behavior of the ceramics and chemical and thermal properties of the obtained sintered bodies are reported.

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Application of Combustion Synthesis to the Production of Actinide Bearing Nitride Ceramic Nuclear Fuels

Materials Science Forum ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.561-565.1749 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 561-565 ◽

pp. 1749-1752

Author(s):

M. Reigel ◽

C. Donohoue ◽

Douglas Burkes ◽

John J. Moore ◽

J.R. Kennedy

Keyword(s):

Combustion Synthesis ◽

Rapid Heating ◽

Fuel Pellet ◽

Nuclear Fuels ◽

Inert Matrix ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Auto Ignition ◽

Temperature Combustion ◽

Ceramic Fuel ◽

Physical And Chemical

Self-propagating high temperature (combustion) synthesis (SHS) is being used to develop several synthesis and processing routes for the next generation of ceramic nuclear fuels. These fuels are based on an actinide nitride within an inert matrix. The application of SHS is particularly important in the synthesis of americium (Am) based ceramics; since the rapid heating and cooling cycles used in this process will help to minimize vaporization loss of Am, which is a major problem in synthesizing Am-based ceramics. Manganese, praseodymium, and dysprosium are being used as physical and chemical surrogates for various actinides. Actinide nitride powders produced using auto-ignition combustion synthesis (AICS) are subsequently reacted with zirconium powder using SHS to produce a final fuel pellet. This paper will discuss the research to date on the synthesis of Am-N powders as well as the production of dense Zr-Am-N pellets as a model ceramic fuel system.

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The evaluation of the pyrochemistry for the treatment of Gen IV nuclear fuels – Inert matrix chlorination studies in the gas phase or molten chloride salts

Journal of Nuclear Materials ◽

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2006.08.014 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 360 (1) ◽

pp. 58-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

S. Bourg ◽

F. Péron ◽

J. Lacquement

Keyword(s):

Gas Phase ◽

Nuclear Fuels ◽

Molten Chloride ◽

Inert Matrix ◽

Gen Iv ◽

Chloride Salts

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Alignment of small He-Bubbles during in situ deformation of Al-foils

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100109124 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 396-397

Author(s):

E. Ruedl ◽

P. Schiller

Keyword(s):

Fusion Reactor ◽

Matrix Material ◽

Fusion Reactors ◽

First Wall ◽

Potential Matrix ◽

In Situ Deformation ◽

Α Particles ◽

Metal Aluminium

The low Z metal aluminium is a potential matrix material for the first wall in fusion reactors. A drawback in the application of A1 is the rel= atively high amount of He produced in it under fusion reactor conditions. Knowledge about the behaviour of He during irradiation and deformation in Al, especially near the surface, is therefore important.Using the TEM we have studied Al disks of 3 mm diameter and 0.2 mm thickness, which were perforated at the centre by double jet polishing. These disks were bombarded at∽200°C to various doses with α-particles, impinging at any angle and energy up to 1.5 MeV at both surfaces. The details of the irradiations are described in Ref.1. Subsequent observation indicated that in such specimens uniformly distributed He-bubbles are formed near the surface in a layer several μm thick (Fig.1).After bombardment the disks were deformed at 20°C during observation by means of a tensile device in a Philips EM 300 microscope.

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Coupled Mass and Heat Transport Models for Nuclear Fuels using Thermodynamic Calculations

10.2172/1484143 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Srdjan Simunovic ◽

Jake W. Mcmurray ◽

Theodore M. Besmann ◽

Emily Moore ◽

Markus H. A. Piro

Keyword(s):

Heat Transport ◽

Thermodynamic Calculations ◽

Nuclear Fuels ◽

Transport Models

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Transportation: Fuel Energies

10.1093/oso/9780198802297.003.0009 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Peter Rez

Keyword(s):

Energy Density ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

High Energy ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Low Energy ◽

High Energy Density ◽

Nuclear Fuels ◽

Liquid Hydrocarbons ◽

Transportation Fuel ◽

Journey Time

Transportation efficiency can be measured in terms of the energy needed to move a person or a tonne of freight over a given distance. For passengers, journey time is important, so an equally useful measure is the product of the energy used and the time taken for the journey. Transportation requires storage of energy. Rechargeable systems such as batteries have very low energy densities as compared to fossil fuels. The highest energy densities come from nuclear fuels, although, because of shielding requirements, these are not practical for most forms of transportation. Liquid hydrocarbons represent a nice compromise between high energy density and ease of use.

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Nitrification Process in a Nuclear Wastewater with High Load of Nitrogen, Uranium and Organic Matter under ORP Controlled

Water ◽

10.3390/w13111607 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 1607

Author(s):

Mariano Venturini ◽

Ariana Rossen ◽

Patricia Silva Paulo

Keyword(s):

Ammonia Oxidation ◽

High Load ◽

Nuclear Fuels ◽

Monod Model ◽

Nernst Equation ◽

Nitrification Process ◽

Real Wastewater ◽

High Concentrations ◽

Wastewater Samples ◽

Very High

To produce nuclear fuels, it is necessary to convert uranium′s ore into UO2-ceramic grade, using several quantities of kerosene, methanol, nitric acid, ammonia, and, in low level, tributyl phosphate (TBP). Thus, the effluent generated by nuclear industries is one of the most toxic since it contains high concentrations of dangerous compounds. This paper explores biological parameters on real nuclear wastewater by the Monod model in an ORP controlled predicting the specific ammonia oxidation. Thermodynamic parameters were established using the Nernst equation to monitor Oxiders/Reductors relationship to obtain a correlation of these parameters to controlling and monitoring; that would allow technical operators to have better control of the nitrification process. The real nuclear effluent is formed by a mixture of two different lines of discharges, one composed of a high load of nitrogen, around 11,000 mg/L (N-NH4+-N-NO3−) and 600 mg/L Uranium, a second one, proceeds from uranium purification, containing TBP and COD that have to be removed. Bioprocesses were operated on real wastewater samples over 120 days under controlled ORP, as described by Nernst equations, which proved to be a robust tool to operate nitrification for larger periods with a very high load of nitrogen, uranium, and COD.

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