• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2020

The feasibility of rare earth (RE) removal process via oxidation reactions with UCl₃ was investigated using the HSC Chemistry code to reduce the concentrations of RE in transuranic (TRU) products. The composition and thermodynamic data of TRU and RE elements contained in the reference spent fuel were examined. The reactivity was evaluated by calculating equilibrium data considering oxidation reactions with UCl₃. Both RE removal rate and TRU recovery rate were evaluated for the two cases, wherein TRU products with different RE concentrations were used. When TRU products were reacted with UCl₃, selective oxidation was driven by the difference in the Gibbs free energy of each element. The calculation results imply that the TRU/RE ratio of the final product can be increased by removing RE elements while maintaining the maximum recovery rate of TRU, which is accomplished by controlling the amount of UCl₃ injected. Since the results of this study are based on thermodynamic equilibrium data, there are many limitations to apply to the actual process. However, it is expected to be used as an important data for the process design to supply the TRU product of pyroprocessing to SFR's fuel demanding low RE concentrations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.581-592
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• 2008

In this study, a conceptual pyroprocess flowsheet has been devised by combining several dry-type unit processes; its applicability as an alternative fuel cycle technology was analyzed. A key point in the evaluation of its applicability to the fuel cycle was the recovery yield of fissile materials from spent fuels as well as the proliferation resistance of the process. The recovery yields of uranium and transuranic elements (TRU) were obtained from a material balance for every unit process composing the whole pyroprocess. The material balances for several elemental groups of interest such as uranium, TRU, rare earth, gaseous fission products, and heat generating elements were calculated on the basis of the knowledge base that is available from domestic and foreign experimental results or technical information presented in open literature. The calculated result of the material balance revealed that uranium and TRU could be recovered at 98.0% and 97.0%, respectively, from a typical PWR spent fuel. Furthermore, the anticipated TRU product was found to emit a non-negligible level of $\gamma$-ray and a significantly higher level of neutrons compared to that of a typical plutonium product obtained from the PUREX process. The results indicate that the product from this conceptual pyroprocessing should be handled in a shielded cell and that this will contribute favorably to retaining proliferation resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.421-425
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• 2003

The reductive extraction process is an important step to refine the TRU product from the electrorefining process for the preparation of transmutation reactor fuel. In this study, it was studied on the reductive extraction between the eutectic salt and Bi metal phases. The solutes were zirconium and the rare earth elements, where zirconium was used as a surrogate for the transuranic(TRU) elements. All the experiments were performed in a glove box filled with a argon gas. Li-Bi alloy was used as a reducing agent to reduce the high chemical activity of Li. The reductive extraction characteristics were examined using ICP, XRD and EPMA analysis. The reduction reaction was equilibrated within 3 hours after the Li addition. Three eutectic salt systems were compared and Zr was successfully separated from the rare earth elements in all the three salt systems.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.283-295
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• 2007

The technical feasibility of a pyroprocessing of PWR spent fuels to recover nuclear fuel materials, uranium and transuranic elements group(TRU), was examined in this study. Also its applicability as a new fuel cycle technology in terms of non-proliferation was investigated. First, various unit processes were combined to a pyroprocess. Then the flow aspects of such materials of issue as uranium, transuraniums, rare earth, noble metals and heat generating elements were examined on the flowsheet, which was obtained by the assumptions on the basis of various experimental results in this work or separation data collected from literatures. Consequently, the calculated results of the material balance for the whole process showed that uranium and TRU could be recovered as products by 98.0 % and 97.0 %, respectively, from a PWR spent fuel while removing the other elemental groups into radioactive wastes. On the one hand, the TRU product was found to emit a considerable amount of ${\gamma}$-ray as well as neutrons favorably contributing to the strategy of proliferation resistance.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2008

Results of corrosion testing for different grades of titanium, copper, zinc, alluminium alloys and steels after two years of outdoor exposure under humid tropical urban and marine conditions have been presented and discussed. Mass loss and corrosion product characteristics for the exposed specimens at Hanoi testing site with high humidity and Nhatrang marine stations (at 100 and 1,000 meters distances from sea) with different airborne salinities (35.9 and $90.0mg/m^2.d$ respectively) have been selected for investigation. From time dependence of the specimen mass loss and corrosion product characteristics, the strong influence of environmental parameters upon durability for the investigated metals and alloys has been demonstrated. Only titanium alloys show high resistance to the marine conditions. All the other specimens (copper, zinc, alluminium alloys and steels) have been underwent strong deterioration under influence of aerosol salinity. Results of corrosion products analysis have been also presented for characterization of environmental impact on the metal degradation processes.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.235-246
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• 2023

Neutron resonance transmission technique was applied for assaying isotopic fissile materials produced in the pyro-process. In each process of the pyro-process, a different composition of the fissile material is produced. Simulation was basically performed on ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu assay for TRU-RE product, hull waste, and uranium addition. The resonance energies were evaluated for uranium and plutonium in the simulation, and the linearity in the detection response was examined on the fissile content variation. The linear resonance energies were determined for the analysis of ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu on the different fissile materials. For enriched TRU-RE assay, the sample condition was suggested; The sample density, content, and thickness are the key factors to obtain accurate fissile content. The detection signal is discriminated for uranium and plutonium in neutron resonance technique. The transmitted signal for fissile resonance has a direct relation with the content of fissile. The simulation results indicated that the neutron resonance technique is promising to analyze ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu for various types of the pyro-process material. An accurate fissile assay will contribute toward safeguarding the pyro-processing system.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 2008

Copper was exposed unsheltered and sheltered in four humid tropical sites, representing urban, urban-industrial, urban-marine and rural environments. The corrosion rates and the sequence of corrosion product formation are presented and discussed in relation with climatic and atmospheric pollution parameters. Chemical compositions of corrosion products were found to depend on environments and duration of exposure. In all environments, cuprite was the predominating corrosion product that formed first and continuously increased during the exposure. Among the sulphur-containing corrosion products, posnjakite and brochantite were more frequently found and the first formed earlier. Nantokite was the most common chlorine-containing products for most cases, except the high-chloride environment, where atacamite was detected instead. The corrosion rate of copper was well indicated by the colour of patina. The red-purple colour corresponded to the high corrosion rate and the greenish grey colour corresponded to the low corrosion rate. Corrosion rate of sheltered copper in urban-marine environment increased with the exposure time.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.241-246
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• 2017

The comparative results of corrosion testing in humid tropical atmosphere in rural and coastal areas for hot dipped zinc coatings are presented below. The test was conducted in outdoor conditions over a period of five years. The mass loss and other performance characteristics of two types of zinc coatings were evaluated, analysed and discussed in relation to the climatic and environmental parameters. The corrosion rates of the coatings exposed to coastal conditions were about three times higher than the corrosion rates appreciated in rural conditions. The data demonstrates that the corrosion process obeys an equation of the form $M=At^n$, where M is the loss of metal and t is the time of exposure. A and n are constants which values depend on the environmental characteristics and the physicochemical behavior of the corrosion products respectively. Corrosion is strongly influenced by atmospheric time of wetness (TOW) and airborne salinity. The nature and composition of corrosion products are also considered. Simonkolleite, a major crystalline phase, was found in the zinc corrosion products exposed to coastal conditions, while zinc hydroxide and zinc hydrosulfate are easily found in rural settings.