Pyrochemical method of salvaging weapons plutonium in oxide for fabricating mixed fuel for fast reactors

• Published in: Atomic energy (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 109; no. 4; pp. 266 - 273
• Main Authors: Rogozkin, B. D., Stepennova, N. M., Fedorov, Yu. E., Shishkov, M. G., Glagovskii, E. M., Rogozhkin, V. Yu, Shibarshov, L. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-02-2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Chemical engineering; Gallium; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Helium; Hydrogen; Hydrogenation; Methods; Nitrogen; Nuclear accidents & safety; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear reactors; Nuclear weapons; Oxidation; Particle size; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Plutonium; Powders; Reactors; Studies; Temperature; Weapons; Mononitride; Uranium; Plutonium; Granulometric Composition; Mixed Fuel
• ISSN: 1063-4258; 1573-8205
• DOI: 10.1007/s10512-011-9355-y

Experimental results of investigations of pyrochemical conversion of weapons plutonium into plutonium oxide for fabricating fast-reactor fuel are presented. Weapons plutonium was hydrogenized by hydrogen at 220°C, after which the plutonium hydride obtained was acidified at 550–560°C with the formation of PuO
2
. To increase fire and explosion safety of the process, a mixture of oxygen with nitrogen, helium, or argon was used or nitriding with nitrogen and oxidation of plutonium mononitride were introduced. The particle size of the plutonium oxide powders obtained was less than 15 μm. The powders showed poor flowability, but after granulation they were suitable for fabricating kernels with mixed fuel. The gallium was removed by reduction of Ga
2
O
3
by hydrogen to Ga
2
O, which was sublimated. The mixed-fuel kernels sintered at 1600–1700°C in a hydrogen atmosphere contained <0.001 wt.% gallium, and their density was 94–97% of the theoretical value.