Plutonium processing milling

Jenkins, J.A., Mills, A.L., Thompson, P.J., Jubin, R.T. 1993. Performance of centrifugal contactors on uranium and plutonium active PUREX flowsheets. In Solvent Extraction in the Process Industries ISEC 93, York, UK, September 16-21. Logsdail, D.H., Slater, M.J. Eds. Elsevier Applied Science, London and New York. 

Milling. Both processes involve milling. The milling requirement of PUO2 particulates for the ceramic process is less than 20 pm, which is comparable to the 10 pm nominal requirement for the MOX fuel process. For plutonium oxide, particulate less than about 3 pm (corresponding to an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of 10 pm) are respirable. Thus under similar conditions, the potential inhalation dose associated with a spill accident of plutonium oxide powder for the ceramic process is no worse than that for the MOX fuel process. 

The U.S. ceramic process for plutonium immobilization is relatively simple. Most of the equipment is standard, such as milling, blending, pressing, and sintering machines. It is expected that equipment failure and human error during operations will not be frequent. 

Radioactive waste Waste material containing radioactive elements in amounts greater than those normally present in the environment. Such waste is generated in large amounts by nuclear reactors used for production of electric power or of plutonium for weapons manufacture. Much low-level waste also results from uranium and phosphate mining and milling, industrial processes, laboratory research, and discarded materials that were used in medical diagnosis and therapy. 

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