| Project Detail |
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will research a single-step technology to recycle UNF by recovering the bulk of uranium (U) and other transuranics (TRU) from fission products. After dissolution of UNF in nitric acid, U/TRU is simultaneously separated from fission products by co-crystallizing oxidized TRU with uranyl nitrate hexahydrate. The approach is inherently proliferation resistant, as plutonium-only streams cannot be achieved without implementing additional technologies. In addition, the overall reprocessing facility footprint would be significantly smaller, secondary waste would be substantially reduced, and hazards associated with using bulk quantities of organic materials would be eliminated. UAB will also research an online monitoring strategy for this process using sensor fusion of various spectroscopic techniques. The single-cycle process researched in this project will (1) significantly reduce the volume of light-water reactor high-level radioactive waste that requires permanent disposal, (2) provide an appropriate fuel feedstock by combining U/TRU in a single product stream, (3) reduce fission product content in the product stream to <0.1%, and (4) be compatible with online monitoring technologies. |
