Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

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

  • Symposium: Materials and Fuels for the Current and Advanced Nuclear Reactors II
  • Published:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. C.E. Stevenson: The EBR-II Fuel Cycle Story, ANS, LaGrange Park, IL, 1987, pp. 85-119.

    Google Scholar 

  2. C.E. Till and Y.I. Chang: Plentiful Energy: The Story of the Integral Fast Reactor, CreateSpace, Charleston, SC, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Y.I. Chang: Nucl. Tech., 1990, vol. 88, pp. 129-38.

    Google Scholar 

  4. J.P. Ackerman, T.R. Johnson, and J.J. Laidler: Actinide Processing: Methods and Materials, TMS, Warrendale, PA, 1994, pp. 261-66.

    Google Scholar 

  5. S.X. Li and M.F. Simpson: Min. Metall. Process., 2005, vol. 22, pp. 192-198.

    Google Scholar 

  6. S.X. Li, T.A. Johnson, B.R. Westphal, K.M. Goff, and R.W. Benedict: Proc. Global 2005, AESJ, Tsukuba, Japan, 2005.

  7. D.D. Keiser, Jr. and R.D. Mariani: J. Nucl. Mater., 1999, vol. 270, pp. 279–89.

  8. S.M. McDeavitt, J.Y. Park, and J.P. Ackerman: Actinide Processing: Methods and Materials, TMS, Warrendale, PA, 1994, pp. 305-19.

    Google Scholar 

  9. B.R. Westphal, D.D. Keiser, R.H. Rigg, and D.V. Laug: Proc. DOE Spent Nucl. Fuel: Chall. Initiatives, ANS, La Grange Park, IL, 1994, pp. 288–94.

  10. D.P. Abraham, S.M. McDeavitt, and J.Y. Park: Metall. Trans. A, 1996, vol. 27A, pp. 2151-59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. S.M. McDeavitt, D.P. Abraham, D.D. Keiser, and J.Y. Park: Proc. Intl. Top. Manag. Nucl. Hazard. Waste Manag., ANS, La Grange Park, IL, 1996, pp. 2477–84.

  12. S.M. McDeavitt, D.P. Abraham, D.D. Keiser, and J.Y. Park: Extraction and Processing for the Treatment and Minimization of Wastes, TMS, Warrendale, PA, 1996, pp. 177.

    Google Scholar 

  13. D.P. Abraham, S.M. McDeavitt, and J.Y. Park: Proc. DOE Spent Nucl. Fuel Fissile Mater. Manag., ANS, LaGrange Park, IL, 1996, pp. 123–28.

  14. D.D. Keiser, Jr. and S.M. McDeavitt: Proc. DOE Spent Nucl. Fuel Fissile Mater. Manag., ANS, LaGrange Park, IL, 1996, pp. 178–82.

  15. S.M. McDeavitt, D.P. Abraham, J.Y. Park, and D.D. Keiser, Jr.: JOM, 1997, vol. 49 (7), pp. 29-32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. D.P. Abraham, J.W. Richardson, Jr., and S.M. McDeavitt: Scripta Mater., 1997, vol. 37(2), pp. 239–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. D.P. Abraham, J.W. Richardson, Jr., and S.M. McDeavitt: Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 1997, vol. 239–240, pp. 658–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. S.M. McDeavitt, D.P. Abraham, and J.Y. Park: J. Nucl. Mater., 1998, vol. 257, pp. 21-34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. D.D. Keiser, Jr. and B.R. Westphal: Proc. DOE Spent Nucl. Fuel Fissile Mater. Manag., ANS, LaGrange Park, IL, 1998, pp. 668–74.

  20. D.P. Abraham and J.W. Richardson, Jr.: Long Term Stability of High Temperature Materials, TMS, Warrendale, PA, 1999, pp. 169.

    Google Scholar 

  21. D.D. Keiser, Jr., D.P. Abraham, and J.W. Richardson, Jr.: J. Nucl. Mater., 2000, vol. 277, pp. 333–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. D.D. Keiser, Jr., D.P. Abraham, W. Sinkler, J.W. Richardson, Jr., and S.M. McDeavitt: J. Nucl. Mater., 2000, vol. 279, pp. 234–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. D.P. Abraham and N. Dietz: Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2002, vol. 329-331, pp. 610-15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. D.E. Janney: MRS Proc., 2002, vol. 757, p. II3.5.

  25. D.E. Janney: J. Nucl. Mater., 2003, vol. 323, pp. 81-92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. S.G. Johnson, D.D. Keiser, M. Noy, T. O’Holleran, and S.M. Frank: MRS Proc., 1999, vol. 556, p. 953.

  27. S.G. Johnson, D.D. Keiser, S.M. Frank, T. DiSanto, A.R. Warren, and M. Noy: MRS Proc., 1999, vol. 608, p. 589.

  28. D.P. Abraham, L.J. Simpson, M.J. Devries, S.M. McDeavitt: MRS Proceedings, 1999, vol. 556, pp. 945.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. R.W. Benedict, S.G. Johnson, D.D. Keiser, T.P. O’Holleran, K.M. Goff, S. McDeavitt, and W. Ebert: Proc. Plutonium Futures: Sci., AIP, Melville, NY, 2000, vol. 532, pp. 86–88.

  30. S.G. Johnson, S.M. Frank, M. Noy, T. DiSanto, and D.D. Keiser, Jr.: Rad. Waste Manag. and Environmental Restoration, 2002, vol. 22 (4), pp. 300-26.

    Google Scholar 

  31. S.G. Johnson, M. Noy, T. DiSanto, and T.L. Barber: MRS Proceedings, 2002, vol. 713, pp. 73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. D.D. Keiser, Jr., S.G. Johnson, and W.L. Ebert: Proc. DOE Spent Nucl. Fuel Fissile Mater. Manag., ANS, LaGrange Park, IL, 2002.

  33. S.G. Johnson, M. Noy, T. DiSanto, and D.D. Keiser: Proc. DOE Spent Nucl. Fuel Fissile Mater. Manag., ANS, LaGrange Park, IL, 2002.

  34. K.C. Marsden, C. Knight, K. Bateman, B. Westphal, and P. Lind: Proc. Global 2005, AESJ, Tsukuba, Japan, 2005.

  35. S.M. Frank, D.D. Keiser, Jr., and K.C. Marsden: Proc. Global 2007, ANS, LaGrange Park, IL, 2007, pp. 1404–11.

  36. DOE M 470.4-6, Chg. 1, Nuclear Material Control and Accountability, 2006.

  37. M.B. Chadwick, P. Oblozinsky, M.Herman, and N.M. Greene: Nucl. Data Sheets, 2006, vol. 107, pp. 2931–3060.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. H. Kleykamp: Nucl. Tech., 1988, vol. 80, pp. 412-22.

    Google Scholar 

  39. W.M. Bowen and C.A. Bennett: Statistical Methods for Nuclear Materials Management (NUREG/CR-4604), U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1988.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the Hot Fuel Examination Facility and Fuel Conditioning Facility operations personnel for their recent contributions and the Analytical Laboratory staff for chemical services. Given the extended history of metal waste form development, the following researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and the Idaho National Laboratory should also be recognized and this by no means represents a complete list: D.P. Abraham, J.P. Ackerman, R.W. Benedict, T.D. DiSanto, N.L. Dietz, W.L. Ebert, R.N. Elliott, T.H. Fanning, J.K. Fink, K.M. Goff, I. Johnson, S.G. Johnson, D.D. Keiser, Jr., C.J. Knight, J.R. Krsul, R.P. Lind, C.D. Morgan, E.E. Morris, S.M. McDeavitt, M. Noy, J.Y. Park, M.C. Petri, J.W. Richardson, Jr., D. Vaden, S. White, and R.A. Wigeland. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, Science, and Technology, under DOE-NE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA

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

Authors
  1. Brian R. Westphal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. M. Frank
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. M. McCartin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. G. Cummings
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. J. Giglio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. T. P. O’Holleran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. P. A. Hahn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. T. S. Yoo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. K. C. Marsden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. K. J. Bateman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. M. N. Patterson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian R. Westphal.

Additional information

Manuscript submitted May 9, 2013.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Westphal, B.R., Frank, S.M., McCartin, W.M. et al. Characterization of Irradiated Metal Waste from the Pyrometallurgical Treatment of Used EBR-II Fuel. Metall Mater Trans A 46, 83–92 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-2114-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation