Reprocessing - doe-hdbk-1113-98_reaffirm_2005

DOE-HDBK-1113-98

Module 102 The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Lesson Plan

Instructor's Notes

Depleted uranium typically is cast into ingots or

billets, and then shipped to production facilities for

appropriate reshaping.

Show OT-22

Reprocessing

Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is no longer

performed in this country. This information is

provided for the purpose of describing how the

process worked at applicable facilities.

Uranium was used in plutonium production reactors.

Uranium fuel and targets were coated with

aluminum or zirconium metal and placed in the

reactor. As they were irradiated with neutrons, a

small fraction of the uranium was converted to

plutonium. The irradiated fuel was then removed

from the reactor, but the plutonium and uranium had

to be separated from the fission products created

during irradiation.

PUREX, a chemical process for plutonium and

uranium extraction from irradiated nuclear fuel, was

developed to accomplish this separation. This

reprocessing was accomplished as follows:

a. Excess metal was mechanically removed to

expose the fuel material.

b. The fuel was leached with acid to remove it

from the cladding.

c. The uranium and other elements were separated

by solvent extraction (chemical separation).

d. The uranium was converted back to UF6 for

enrichment.