Other Nuclear Applications

The various case studies discussed in this paper demonstrate that CBPCs are a very versatile material for the stabilization of hazardous and radioactive waste streams. CBPCs chemically immobilize and microencapsulate the contaminants, and reduce leaching to levels that meet WAC at DOE sites. They are also suitable for the macroencapsulation of various contaminated objects. 

Several additional favorable properties of CBPCs make them an even better candidate for stabilization. The waste form is a dense matrix, generally with very good mechanical properties. Also it is nonleachable, does not degrade over time, is neutral in pH, converts even flammable waste into nonflammable waste forms, performs well within acceptable levels in radiolysis tests, and can incorporate a range of inorganic waste streams (solids, sludge, liquids, and salts). 

The CBPC technologies are not targeted for stabilizing organics, although several tests with Ceramicrete have shown that it performs better than other methods. Organics are generally destroyed by combustion or other chemical means, and their volume is reduced. The resultant ash or waste can then be immobilized in Ceramicrete. 

Unfortunately, for two reasons the full potential of CBPCs has not yet been exploited in the DOE complex. In spite of its high technical success, this technology is only one decade old and is experiencing growing pains. Considerable familiarity is needed before a DOE contractor will accept the technology as a low risk venture. Also the technology has been 

Schroeder, S. Radinski, J. Ball, K. Ashley, S. Cobb, B. Cutrell, J. Adams, C. Johnson, and G. Whitner, Technetium partitioning for the Hanford tank waste remediation system anion exchange studies for partitioning technetium from synthetic DSSF and DSS simulants and actual Hanford wastes (101-SY and 103-SY) using Reillex -HPQ resin. Annual Report, LA-UR-95-4440 (Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1995). 

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In light of the IAEA plan to organise an international conference on Non-electric Applications of Nuclear Power Seawater Desalination, Hydrogen Production and Other Nuclear Applications in mid-2007, the participants recommended that the NEA Nuclear Science Committee organise its fourth meeting on the Nuclear Production of Hydrogen in 2008. 

Reactor-grade zirconium is essentially free of hafnium. Zircaloy(R) is an important alloy developed specifically for nuclear applications. Zirconium is exceptionally resistant to corrosion by many common acids and alkalis, by sea water, and by other agents. Alloyed with zinc, zirconium becomes magnetic at temperatures below 35oK. 

Its importance depends on the nuclear property of being readily fissionable with neutrons and its availability in quantity. The world s nuclear-power reactors are now producing about 20,000 kg of plutonium/yr. By 1982 it was estimated that about 300,000 kg had accumulated. The various nuclear applications of plutonium are well known. 238Pu has been used in the Apollo lunar missions to power seismic and other equipment on the lunar surface. As with neptunium and uranium, plutonium metal can be prepared by reduction of the trifluoride with alkaline-earth metals. 

Nuclear Applications. Powder metallurgy is used in the fabrication of fuel elements as well as control, shielding, moderator, and other components of nuclear-power reactors (63) (see Nuclearreactors). The materials for fuel, moderator, and control parts of a reactor are thermodynamically unstable if heated to melting temperatures. These same materials are stable under P/M process conditions. It is possible, for example, to incorporate uranium or ceramic compounds in a metallic matrix, or to produce parts that are similar in the size and shape desired without effecting drastic changes in either the stmcture or surface conditions. OnlyHttle post-sintering treatment is necessary. 

Our present discussions relate only to the laboratory testing of safety-related secondary systems, as are employed in critical areas such as areas of emergency power supply and reactor power control supply etc. of a nuclear power plant (NPP) according to IEEE 344 and lEC 60980. There are other codes also but IEEE 344 is referred to more commonly. Basically, all such codes are meant for an NPP but they can be applied to other critical applications or installations that are prone to earthquakes. 

The third term in Eq. 7, K, is the contribution to the basal plane thermal resistance due to defect scattering. Neutron irradiation causes various types of defects to be produced depending on the irradiation temperature. These defects are very effective in scattering phonons, even at flux levels which would be considered modest for most nuclear applications, and quickly dominate the other terms in Eq. 7. Several types of in-adiation-induced defects have been identified in graphite. For irradiation temperatures lower than 650°C, simple point defects in the form of vacancies or interstitials, along with small interstitial clusters, are the predominant defects. Moreover, at an irradiation temperatui-e near 150°C [17] the defect which dominates the thermal resistance is the lattice vacancy. 

Our life would never be as advanced and comfortable as it is if not for the applications of tantalum and niobium. These materials unique properties ensure their increasing usage in electronic, optic, mechanical, aerospace, nuclear and other modem applications. 

Before leaving ionic liquids it is worth mentioning their potential value in separation processes. Organic solvents are frequently used in multiphase extraction processes and pose the same problems in terms of VOC containment and recovery as they do in syntheses, hence ionic liquids could offer a more benign alternative. Interesting applications along this line which have been studied include separation of spent nuclear fuel from other nuclear waste and extraction of the antibiotic erythromycin-A. 

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is a supreme technique for elemental analysis (Section 8.6.1). Other nuclear analytical techniques, such as PIXE (Section 8.4.2) and RBS, also find application in investigations of diffusion processes [445]. 

The capability of neutralizing daughter ions emitted by a parent atom in nuclear decay would result in practical realization of ULLC for solar neutrino detection, weak interaction physics, cosmochronology, geophysics, environmental research, and other important applications. 

Chapter 10 provides an exhaustive description of how these techniques can be applied to a large number of industrial alloys and other materials. This includes a discussion of solution and substance databases and step-by-step examples of multi-component calculations. Validation of calculated equilibria in multi-component alloys is given by a detailed comparison with experimental results for a variety of steels, titanium- and nickel-base alloys. Further selected examples include the formation of deleterious phases, complex precipitation sequences, sensitivity factor analysis, intermetallic alloys, alloy design, slag, slag-metal and other complex chemical equilibria and nuclear applications. 

Dowex ion exchange resins include a range of anion and cation resins for multibed demineralization, mixed-bed condensate polishing, as well as nuclear and other specialty applications. Most Dowex resins are based on styrene copolymerized with divinylbenzene (DVB). According to Dow, styrene/DVB structures are the preferred matrices for ion exchange resins because... 

Radioactive wastes arise in many different forms and from a wide range of activities. The main streams come from plants and processes associated with nuclear power production and research, and unfortunately also from widespread military applications. There are other industrial applications also producing minor radioactive waste volumes. Categorization schemes are normally based on the following attributes ... 

The radiation - induced changes noted are in weight loss, gas evolution, mechanical sensitivity, thermal sensitivity and stability, and ex pi performance. The effects will be described with the type of nuclear radiation used. The format describes the radiation effects on expls, propints and pyrots with the sequence of radiations utilized (when applicable) as follows, a - particles, neutrons, fission products, reactor radiation (fast and slo w neutrons plus gammas), gammas (7), underground testing (UGT), X-rays, electrons, and other nuclear radiations... 

Horwitz, E.P., Schulz, W.W. 1990. The TRUEX process A vital tool for disposal of US defense nuclear wastes. Conference on New Separation Chemistry for Radioactive Waste and Other Specific Applications, May, Rome, Italy. 

The selection of a suitable diluent is important to limit radiolytic degradation. Diluents currently used in nuclear applications are hydrocarbons, despite their well-known sensitization effect on radiolysis, as mentioned for alkylphosphates or amide extractants (90, 182, 183, 199), and as discussed in Section 8.4.2. To avoid this negative effect or to enhance the solubility of ligands and metallic complexes, other diluents have been selected and their influence on degradation investigated. 

While the ASME has two different sections, Section I for fired vessels and Section VIII for unfired vessels, the PED encompass all these conventional vessels (excluding nuclear applications). Therefore, according to PED, unlike with ASME, these above considerations on accumulation and multiple valves installation also apply to boilers and other fired vessels as well as for unfired vessels as long as the pressures are higher than 0.5 barg. 

There are other transportation applications of hydrogen fuel for fuel cells to supply electricity to railway trains, marine vessels, and aircraft, and for jet engines to propel aircraft (Airbus, 2003). If the application of hydrogen to jet engine aircraft occurs in the future, nuclear-produced hydrogen is the best suited for its supply at hub airports for its features of no C02 emission and bulk supply capability. 

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