Characterization of insoluble residues from the dissolution of irradiated (U,Pu)O{sub 2}

摘要

Hot-cell tests were conducted using (U,Pu)O{sub 2} fuels that had been irradiated to about 5.2 TJ/kg (U + Pu) [60 MWd/kg (U + Pu)] in an effort to characterize the insoluble residues that remained after the fuel pellets had been dissolved in HNO{sub 3} and in HNO{sub 3}-KF. The composition, particle size range, and density of the material were determined by newer analytical techniques, including spark-source mass spectrometry, neutron activation, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray fluorescence, combined with older methods such as sedimentation and powder density by water displacement.