Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel

Brian R. Westphal; S. M. Frank; W. M. McCartin; D. G. Cummings; Jeffrey Giglio; T. P. O’Holleran; P. A. Hahn; T. S. Yoo; K. C. Marsden; K. J. Bateman; M. N. Patterson

doi:10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z

Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel

Brian R. Westphal
, S. M. Frank
, W. M. McCartin
, D. G. Cummings
, Jeffrey Giglio
, T. P. O’Holleran
, P. A. Hahn
, T. S. Yoo
, K. C. Marsden
, K. J. Bateman
, M. N. Patterson

Materials and Fuels Complex

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

As part of the pyrometallurgical treatment of used Experimental Breeder Reactor-II fuel, a metal waste stream is generated consisting primarily of cladding hulls laden with fission products noble to the electrorefining process. Consolidation by melting at high temperature [1873 K (1600 °C)] has been developed to sequester the noble metal fission products (Zr, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Te, and Pd) which remain in the iron-based cladding hulls. Zirconium from the uranium fuel alloy (U-10Zr) is also deposited on the hulls and forms Fe-Zr intermetallics which incorporate the noble metals as well as residual actinides during processing. Hence, Zr has been chosen as the primary indicator for consistency of the metal waste. Recently, the first production-scale metal waste ingot was generated and sampled to monitor Zr content for Fe-Zr intermetallic phase formation and validation of processing conditions. Chemical assay of the metal waste ingot revealed a homogeneous distribution of the noble metal fission products as well as the primary fuel constituents U and Zr. Microstructural characterization of the ingot confirmed the immobilization of the noble metals in the Fe-Zr intermetallic phase.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	83-92
Number of pages	10
Journal	Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science
Volume	46
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z
State	Published - Jan 2015

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Westphal, B. R., Frank, S. M., McCartin, W. M., Cummings, D. G., Giglio, J., O’Holleran, T. P., Hahn, P. A., Yoo, T. S., Marsden, K. C., Bateman, K. J., & Patterson, M. N. (2015). Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, 46(1), 83-92. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z

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title = "Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel",

abstract = "As part of the pyrometallurgical treatment of used Experimental Breeder Reactor-II fuel, a metal waste stream is generated consisting primarily of cladding hulls laden with fission products noble to the electrorefining process. Consolidation by melting at high temperature [1873 K (1600 °C)] has been developed to sequester the noble metal fission products (Zr, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Te, and Pd) which remain in the iron-based cladding hulls. Zirconium from the uranium fuel alloy (U-10Zr) is also deposited on the hulls and forms Fe-Zr intermetallics which incorporate the noble metals as well as residual actinides during processing. Hence, Zr has been chosen as the primary indicator for consistency of the metal waste. Recently, the first production-scale metal waste ingot was generated and sampled to monitor Zr content for Fe-Zr intermetallic phase formation and validation of processing conditions. Chemical assay of the metal waste ingot revealed a homogeneous distribution of the noble metal fission products as well as the primary fuel constituents U and Zr. Microstructural characterization of the ingot confirmed the immobilization of the noble metals in the Fe-Zr intermetallic phase.",

author = "Westphal, \{Brian R.\} and Frank, \{S. M.\} and McCartin, \{W. M.\} and Cummings, \{D. G.\} and Jeffrey Giglio and O{\textquoteright}Holleran, \{T. P.\} and Hahn, \{P. A.\} and Yoo, \{T. S.\} and Marsden, \{K. C.\} and Bateman, \{K. J.\} and Patterson, \{M. N.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2013, The Minerals, Metals \& Materials Society and ASM International (outside the USA).",

year = "2015",

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doi = "10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z",

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Westphal, BR, Frank, SM, McCartin, WM, Cummings, DG, Giglio, J, O’Holleran, TP, Hahn, PA, Yoo, TS , Marsden, KC, Bateman, KJ & Patterson, MN 2015, 'Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel', Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 83-92. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel

AU - Westphal, Brian R.

AU - Frank, S. M.

AU - McCartin, W. M.

AU - Cummings, D. G.

AU - Giglio, Jeffrey

AU - O’Holleran, T. P.

AU - Hahn, P. A.

AU - Yoo, T. S.

AU - Marsden, K. C.

AU - Bateman, K. J.

AU - Patterson, M. N.

PY - 2015/1

Y1 - 2015/1

N2 - As part of the pyrometallurgical treatment of used Experimental Breeder Reactor-II fuel, a metal waste stream is generated consisting primarily of cladding hulls laden with fission products noble to the electrorefining process. Consolidation by melting at high temperature [1873 K (1600 °C)] has been developed to sequester the noble metal fission products (Zr, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Te, and Pd) which remain in the iron-based cladding hulls. Zirconium from the uranium fuel alloy (U-10Zr) is also deposited on the hulls and forms Fe-Zr intermetallics which incorporate the noble metals as well as residual actinides during processing. Hence, Zr has been chosen as the primary indicator for consistency of the metal waste. Recently, the first production-scale metal waste ingot was generated and sampled to monitor Zr content for Fe-Zr intermetallic phase formation and validation of processing conditions. Chemical assay of the metal waste ingot revealed a homogeneous distribution of the noble metal fission products as well as the primary fuel constituents U and Zr. Microstructural characterization of the ingot confirmed the immobilization of the noble metals in the Fe-Zr intermetallic phase.

AB - As part of the pyrometallurgical treatment of used Experimental Breeder Reactor-II fuel, a metal waste stream is generated consisting primarily of cladding hulls laden with fission products noble to the electrorefining process. Consolidation by melting at high temperature [1873 K (1600 °C)] has been developed to sequester the noble metal fission products (Zr, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Te, and Pd) which remain in the iron-based cladding hulls. Zirconium from the uranium fuel alloy (U-10Zr) is also deposited on the hulls and forms Fe-Zr intermetallics which incorporate the noble metals as well as residual actinides during processing. Hence, Zr has been chosen as the primary indicator for consistency of the metal waste. Recently, the first production-scale metal waste ingot was generated and sampled to monitor Zr content for Fe-Zr intermetallic phase formation and validation of processing conditions. Chemical assay of the metal waste ingot revealed a homogeneous distribution of the noble metal fission products as well as the primary fuel constituents U and Zr. Microstructural characterization of the ingot confirmed the immobilization of the noble metals in the Fe-Zr intermetallic phase.

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DO - 10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84919877240

SN - 1073-5623

VL - 46

SP - 83

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JO - Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science

JF - Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science

IS - 1

ER -

Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel

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