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Radiation-induced modifications on physico chemical properties of diluted nitric acid solutions within advanced spent nuclear fuel reprocessing

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Abstract

Within advanced spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, the effects of ionizing radiation on some physico chemical properties of 0.25–0.5 M HNO3 solutions have been studied for the first time, because of the possible influence on both the separation performances and the fluid-dynamics of the extracting system. Irradiations were performed in air up to 100 kGy by two 60Co-sources, with 0.3 and 2.5 kGy/h dose rates, respectively. Density, viscosity, acidity and nitrate ion concentration were measured before and after irradiation. No modifications of these properties in the dose range considered were observed, therefore no significant effects on the fluid-dynamics of the extracting systems are expected.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thanks Gammatom Srl and Professor Armando Buttafava of Chemical Department of Università degli Studi di Pavia for the irradiation campaign. This work was funded by the SACSESS European Commission Project (FP7-CP-2013-323282).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Eros Mossini, Elena Macerata, Marco Giola & Mario Mariani

  2. Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Luigi Brambilla & Chiara Castiglioni

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  1. Eros Mossini
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  2. Elena Macerata
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  3. Marco Giola
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  4. Luigi Brambilla
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  5. Chiara Castiglioni
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  6. Mario Mariani
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Correspondence to Eros Mossini.

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Mossini, E., Macerata, E., Giola, M. et al. Radiation-induced modifications on physico chemical properties of diluted nitric acid solutions within advanced spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 304, 395–400 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3556-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3556-5

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