The Reprocessing of Beryllium-Base Reactor Fuels : a Chemical Feasibility Study of a Modified Thorex Process for the Recovery of the Uranium and Thorium (open access)

The Reprocessing of Beryllium-Base Reactor Fuels : a Chemical Feasibility Study of a Modified Thorex Process for the Recovery of the Uranium and Thorium

Stable solutions of basic beryllium nitrate can be formed with beryllium concentrations up to 9M, and an NO3/Be mole ratio as low as 1:1. The efficiency of basic beryllium nitrate as an agent for salting out uranium into a tributylphosphate/kerosene solvent has been compared with that of other salts. It appears possible to separate uranium and thorium from beryllium and fission products using a modified Thorex process in which beryllium nitrate replaces aluminum nitrate.
Date: August 1962
Creator: Farrell, M. S.; Orrock. B. J. & Temple, R. B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Elastic Thermal Stress in Reactor Fuel Elements -- a Comparative Study of Various Shapes (open access)

Elastic Thermal Stress in Reactor Fuel Elements -- a Comparative Study of Various Shapes

A method for comparison and evaluation of thermoelastic stresses is given for a range of fuel element shapes based on parameters available from the initial study of a reactor system. The shapes studied, in descending order of stress level are circular rods, concentric tubes, flat plates, and a matrix of circular holes.
Date: August 1962
Creator: Binns, Ian M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Reprocessing of Homogeneous Beryllium-Base Reactor Fuel : a Suggested Scheme for the Selective Aqueous Dissolution of the Matrix (open access)

The Reprocessing of Homogeneous Beryllium-Base Reactor Fuel : a Suggested Scheme for the Selective Aqueous Dissolution of the Matrix

The matrix of a dilute homogeneous H.T.G.C. reactor fuel employing metallic beryllium as a moderator can be selectively dissolved by a caustic soda solution containing salicylate ion. At least 99 percent of the uranium and thorium can be recovered as insoluble solids, but in the case of irradiated material the uranium loss might be higher. Some decontamination of the resulting beryllium solution from fission products and Pa233 can also be obtained. A tentative chemical flowsheet is proposed on the basis of the results obtained.
Date: August 1962
Creator: Farrell, M. S. & Temple, R. B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Ion Exchange Behaviour of Beryllium Salicylate Complexes (open access)

The Ion Exchange Behaviour of Beryllium Salicylate Complexes

As part of a general study of the co-ordination chemistry of beryllium, the beryllium salicylate complexes have been investigated by ion exchange procedures. The evidence indicates that a neutral 1 : 1 and an anionic 1 : 2 chelate exist in solution under appropriate conditions, and their stability constants have been determined by ion-exchange methos. The values of the stability constants were found to be [beta]1 = 4.97 x 10 (12), and [beta]2 = 2.63 x 10(22).
Date: August 1962
Creator: Fardy, John Joseph
System: The UNT Digital Library