METHOD FOR METALLURGICAL PROCESSING SPENT (EXPOSED) SOLID NUCLEAR FUEL Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC G21C19/44 

FIELD: nuclear physics.

SUBSTANCE: proposed invention relates to the technology of metallurgical processing spent (exposed) solid nuclear fuel of nuclear reactors - uranium dioxide using a metallurgical method for its further safe storage. The method for metallurgical processing spent (exposed) solid nuclear fuel involves preparing a homogeneous mixture consisting of oxide of spent nuclear fuel, reducing material and liquefier-slag, loading it into a crucible, melting the mixture in an inert gas medium, reduction to metallic nuclear fuel via an exothermal reaction with at least one reducing material, and removal of slag saturated with the most active elements. According to the invention, the crucible with the mixture is placed in an additional crucible with molten metal having higher boiling point. The additional crucible is then placed in the core channel in an inert gas medium and the mixture is molten by heating the additional crucible using internal energy release of the nuclear reaction. Both crucibles are made from heat-resistant material.

EFFECT: design of a metallurgical method of processing spent nuclear fuel, which enables processing spent nuclear fuel directly in the nuclear reactor.

9 cl