Thermochemical studies of advanced nuclear fuels and materials

Abstract

Thermochemical analyses related with development of advanced nuclear fuels (i.e., metalic, nitride, and hydride fuels) with respect to the transmutation of transuranium elements and relevant pyrochemical reprocessing and fabrication processes, which have been carried out mainly in Japan, are summarized. In addition, application of atmosphere-controlled high-temperature mass spectrometry on solid-gas reactions, in particular on the prediction of gas-interacting behaviors of cesium and lithium on respective oxide ceramics, are delineated in relation to nuclear material-relevant researches.

Thermodynamic assessment of LiCl–NdCl3 and LiCl–PrCl3 quasi-binary systems

“…The well established liquidus line in the wide temperature and composition ranges as well as the accurately measured enthalpy of mixing in liquid makes it possible to optimize the a i , b i (i = 0, 1) parameters in Eq. (6).…”

“…Consequently, intensive efforts are being made at an international level both on applications [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] and theoretical aspects [13][14][15]. This work aims to critically assess the phase diagrams and the thermodynamic properties of LiCl-NdCl 3 , LiCl-PrCl 3 binary systems as well as the Gibbs energies of pure NdCl 3 , PrCl 3 , to set up a set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters with most of experimental data reproduced satisfactorily, to provide crucial information for understanding scientific and technical characteristics of molten salt.…”

Thermodynamics of lanthanide halides and application to high‐temperature processes

“…The pyroreprocessing and the partitioning of TRUs have been developed mainly by CRIEPI and JAERI in Japan in order to recycle actinides in fast breeder reactor cycle using metal fuels [35]. The proposed system includes not only the metal fuel reprocessing with electrorefining, but also the lithium reduction of oxide fuel to make metals and reductive extraction to recover TRUs from high‐level liquid waste (HLLW) originating from purex reprocessing of LWR fuels [36].…”

Crystal Structure Evolution of UCl3 from Room Temperature to Melting

“…Studies of the material in the molten state report thermophysical properties such as surface tension, viscosity, and density [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] from techniques including the maximum gas pressure method. Scattering characterizations of molten UCl 3 using pair distribution function analysis provided reports that the U 3+ ion in molten UCI 3 is coordinated on average by six Cl atoms (Ref.…”