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RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS
ArticleName Thermochemical treatment of a cladding fuel simulator based on UO2 with an oxidizing mixture NxOy + O2 + CO2 + H2O(steam)
DOI 10.17580/tsm.2021.08.06
ArticleAuthor Aksyutin P. V., Dyachenko A. S., Zhabin A. Yu., Zherin I. I.
ArticleAuthorData

FSUE Mining and Chemical Combine, Zheleznogorsk, Russia:

P. V. Aksyutin, Radiochemist Engineer, e-mail: atomlink@mcc.krasnoyarsk.su
A. S. Dyachenko, Leading Engineer
A. Yu. Zhabin, Head of Laboratory

 

National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, Russia:
I. I. Zherin, Professor, Doctor of Chemistry

Abstract

Thermochemical treatment of irradiated fuel simulator containing UO2 of ceramic properties by NxOy + O2 + CO2 + H2O(steam) oxidizing mixture was tested in the range of 588 to 663 K. Fragments of new fuel elements were used as a feed material containing uranium-235 within 0.72 wt. % and 50 mm in length while jam of ends cutoff was 30% or less. Ability in principle to convert ceramic fuel in zirconium cladding into powder-like material during 3 hours was proven under NxOy + O2 + CO2 + H2O(steam) atmosphere at temperatures of 623–643 K. Thermochemical treatment was carried out in a furnace based reactor equipped with horizontal axis of rotation. Following thermochemical treatment of ceramic fuel simulator by NxOy + O2 + CO2 + H2O(steam) oxidizing mixture at temperature of 623 and 643 K, we made black powders separated from zirconium claddings completely. Fuel coming out of cladding was 99.9%. These powder s are in agreement with molecular formula U3O8 based on gravimetric analysis. Powder-like material was proven to be triuranium octoxide (X-ray peaks for 20; 21.5; 26; 34; 44; 46; 47;52) in accordance with X-ray phase analysis and typical reflections of XRD patterns. Particle sizes of powder in its basic fraction were 2–6 microns (95% of derived product or more).
This research was supported by TPU development program.

keywords Uranium dioxide, fragment of ceramic fuel simulator, oxidizing mixture, catalyst, temperature, powder-like material, triuranium octoxide, XRD pattern
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