A Gamma Radiolysis Study of UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} 0.4H{sub 2}O Using Spent Nuclear Fuel Elements from the High Flux Isotope Reactor

Icenhour, A.S.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

关键词: Storage;    Radiolysis;    Fluorides;    Irradiation;    Uranium Oxides;   

DOI  :  10.2172/814115
RP-ID  :  ORNL/TM-2001/138
RP-ID  :  AC05-00OR22725
RP-ID  :  814115

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The development of a standard for the safe, long-term storage of {sup 233}U-containing materials resulted in the identification of several needed experimental studies. These studies were largely related to the potential for the generation of unacceptable pressures or the formation of deleterious products during storage of uranium oxides. The primary concern was that these conditions could occur as a result of the radiolysis of residual impurities--specifically fluorides and water-by the high radiation fields associated with {sup 233}U/{sup 232}U-containing materials. This report documents the results from a gamma radiolysis experiment in which UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} {center_dot} 0.4H{sub 2}O was loaded in helium. This experiment was performed using spent nuclear fuel elements from the High Flux Isotope Reactor as the gamma source and was a follow-on to experiments conducted previously. It was found that upon gamma irradiation, the UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} {center_dot} 0.4H{sub 2}O released 0{sub 2} with an initial G(O{sub 2}) = 0.01 molecule O{sub 2}/100 eV and that some of the uranium was reduced from U(VI) to U(IV). The high total dose achieved in the SNF elements was sufficient to reach a damage limit for the UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} {center_dot} 0.4H{sub 2}O. This damage limit, measured in terms of the amount of the U(IV) produced, was found to be about 9 wt%.