Raymond James Vedder

Development and Operation of a Unique Conversion/Solidification Process for Highly Radioactive and Fissile Uranium

A unique evaporation/thermal denitration process was developed, operated, and maintained successfully to permit the solidification and safe storage of --1000 kg of highly radioactive and fissile uranium, containing --75% /sup 235/U, --10% /sup 233/U, and --140 ppm /sup 232/U. The project, called the Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Program, was carried out to prepare a stable uranium form for long-term, safe storage. During the project, the uranium nitrate solution was divided into --400 batches, which were successfully processed. Details of the process development, equipment maintenance, and operating expertise are described.

Reestablishing the Supply of Plutonium-238

The US Department of Energy has presented a plan to use existing reactors at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and processing facilities at ORNL, modified as needed, to produce Pu. The basic capabilities that need to be put into place to produce new Pu are (1) neptunium storage and transport, (2) target fabrication, (3) target irradiation, and (4) chemical processing of irradiated targets to recover Pu. Neptunium currently in storage at INL will be shipped to ORNL during CY 2015. The target design has progressed to a prototypic target design that is expected to be used for production. Initial chemical processing experiments have shown successful recovery of neptunium and plutonium, but overall product purity has not been as high as desired.