ORNL-1816 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

!
ANP QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT
11. RECOVERYANDREPROCESSINGOFREACTOR FUEL
G. I. Cathers
M. R. Bennett
W. K. Eister
A plant for recovering (in seven batches) the
uranium from the ARE fuel and rinse by the fluoride-
volatility process is being designed, and con-
struction is scheduled for completion by December
31, 1955. It is estimated that the amount of ma-
terial to be processed will be 12.4 ft3 of NaF-ZrF,-
UF, containing 65 kg of uranium, This plant will
demonstrate, on a pilot-plant scale, the feasibility
of the fluoride-volatility process as applied to the
processing of the fuel from a circulating-fuel
aircraft reactor. The feasibility of this process
(Fig. 11.1) has been established on a laboratory
scale.’*2 The basic equipment as now envisioned
will consist of a fluorinator, an absorption column
packed with NaF, a cold-trap system, and a fluorine
disposal dnit.
The fluoride-volatil ity process can be adapted
for recycling uranium to a fresh fuel concentrate
by adding a UF, reduction step and dissolving
I D. E. Ferguson et al., ANP Quar. Prog. Rep. Sept.
IO, 1954, ORNL-1771, p 12.
* 2G. 1. Cathers, Recovery and Decontamination of
Uranium from Fused Fluoride Fuels by Fluorination,
ORNL-1709 (May 26, 1954).
I
WASTE SALT
> 999b F P