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Potapov, A., Karimov, K., Mazannikov, M., Shishkin, V., & Zaykov, Y. (2020). Opening of Nitride Spent Nuclear Fuel. KnE Materials Science, 6(1), 438–445. https://doi.org/10.18502/kms.v6i1.8122

https://doi.org/10.18502/kms.v6i1.8122

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authors

  • Alexei Potapov

    Alexei Potapov

    The Institute of High Temperature Electrochemistry RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
  • Kirill Karimov

    Kirill Karimov

    1The Institute of High Temperature Electrochemistry RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
  • Mikhail Mazannikov

    Mikhail Mazannikov

    1The Institute of High Temperature Electrochemistry RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
  • Vladimir Shishkin

    Vladimir Shishkin

    1The Institute of High Temperature Electrochemistry RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
  • Yury Zaykov

    Yury Zaykov

    The Institute of High Temperature Electrochemistry RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia

Published Date

  • Dec 31, 2020

Opening of Nitride Spent Nuclear Fuel

KnE Materials Science / IV Congress “Fundamental Research and Applied Developing of Recycling and Utilization Processes of Technogenic Formations” Volume 2020 / Pages 438–445

Abstract




Nitride nuclear fuel (UN + 10-20% PuN) is considered a promising alternative to the widely used oxide nuclear fuel (UO2). Thermal conductivity and density of nitride fuel are ∼ 7 times and 1.3 times higher than that of oxide fuel, respectively. Nitride fuel demonstrates a good compatibility with the cladding of fuel rods made of stainless steel. Along with the development of new fuel, methods for its subsequent processing are being developed. Various options for the initial opening of nitride spent nuclear fuel (SNF) are considered in this article. The use of gaseous chlorine is technologically inconvenient and dangerous when working with radioactive substances. The electrochemical dissolution of nitride SNF cannot be realized due to the formation of a by-product - UNCl. Uranium nitride chloride is an insulator and it blocks the electrochemical process. It was found that the chlorination of nitride SNF with cadmium or lead chlorides makes it possible to carry out 100% UN → UCl3 conversion. The use of voloxidation (oxidation of nitride SNF to oxides) as the first stage of processing will make the entire technology universal, suitable for processing both nitride and oxide SNF. The choice of the method for opening SNF depends on the choice of the subsequent stages of its processing.





Keywords: nitride spent nuclear fuel, SNF, chlorination, anodic dissolution, UNCl, “soft” chlorination, voloxidation, processing







References
[1] Shimkevich, A., Proshkin, A. and Sedov, A. (2011). Through Innovation. Promising Dense Fuel For Power Reactors. ROSENERGOATOM, issue 10, pp. 36-41.

[2] Shirai, O., et al. (2002). Recovery of U by electrolysis of UN in LiCl-KCl Eutectic Melts. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology Vol. 39, Suppl. 3, pp. 745-748.

[3] Zaykov, Y. P., et al. (2017, June). Pyrochemical Recycling of the Nitride SNF of Fast Neutron Reactors in Molten Salts as a Part of the Short-Circuited Nuclear Fuel Cycle. Presented at Int. Conf. on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable Development 2017 (FR17), Yekaterinburg, Russia. Vienna, Austria: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 262 p.

[4] Shishkin,V.Y.,etal (2017,September).ThePeculiaritiesofPyrochemicalReprocessingo SpentNuclear Fuel. Presented at GLOBAL 2017 Int. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conf., Seoul, Republic of Korea. Proceedings, Publication of works online: Paper EA-104, p. 3. Retrieved from http://www.global2017.org/congress/ index2.php