INVESTIGADORES
PRADO Miguel Oscar
capítulos de libros
Título:
Vitrocerus: An alternative for processing MTR spent fuel from research reactors
Autor/es:
ARBOLEDA ZULOAGA, PAULA; RODRIGUES,D.S.; PRADO, M. O.
Libro:
ScientificBasis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXV
Editorial:
Cambridge University Press
Referencias:
Lugar: Warrendale, Pensylvania; Año: 2012; p. 203 - 208
Resumen:
Research reactors spent fuels disposal is a problematic area that
conduces to the quest of feasible solutions for ensure safe destination
of the spent fuels. In this work, a new method for processing spent fuel
from MTR reactors is presenting. The main objective of this process, is
the immobilization of principal radioactive elements that are present
in the spent fuel, in order to achieve a suitable material which could
be temporally stored safely. The Vitrocerus method involves ordinary
physical procedures performed in a hot cell. It differs from
conventional vitrification because there is a reduction in volume of
glass material added.
The process propose the ceramization of a
mixture of spent fuel plates (wich were milled and calcined previously)
with natural uranium oxide (U3O8) to obtain the desired isotopic dilution (to low the U235
enrichment). At the same time, a small fraction of VG98/12 glass [1]
was added to enhance low temperature sintering. The treatment and
conditioning tasks proposed in Vitrocerus were tested on MTR fuel
miniplates that simulate a real U3Si2 dispersed in
Al fuel, which were successfully transformed into ceramic sintered
pellets [2,3] with low enrichment, structural integrity, outstanding
mechanical properties and water corrosion resistance. Eventually these
pellets could be stored safely in an interim dry storage facility.