METHOD OF OXIDATING TREATMENT (VOLOXIDIATION) OF IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC G21C19/42 G21F9/28 

FIELD: physics, nuclear physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to the methods for processing the irradiated nuclear fuel (INF) and is intended for use during the leading operations of radiochemical technology for reprocessing INF of VVER-1000 reactors for the purpose of tritium separation. Fragmented INF is loaded into the horizontal reactor apparatus and subjected to oxidation in the stream of activated vapor-gas phase. Activation of the gas stream is carried out by mixing nitrogen dioxide streams in the amount of 15–56 wt% and oxygen in the amount of 41–83 wt%, which is saturated with water vapor in the amount of 1.2–9.5 wt% on the granular layer of the catalytically active filling. In case of simultaneous action of the nitrating and oxidizing component on the reaction surface of INF, fuel is extracted from the shells as a result of the multidirectional transformation of its volume.

EFFECT: invention allows to quantitatively separate tritium from INF in the shell during the process of voloxidiation.

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