Electroslag remelt processing of irradiated vanadium alloys

This paper describes experimental efforts to investigate the potential of a slag remelting process for reducing radioactivity of irradiated vanadium alloys used in a fusion power production facility. The experiment determined the removal characteristics of four surrogate transmutation isotopes significant to accident safety expected in a V-5Ti-5Cr alloy irradiated under fusion conditions (Ca, Y, to simulate Sc, Mn, and Ar). Removal of these isotopes could decrease the accident risk of reprocessing irradiated vanadium and reusing it in fusion reactors. An electroslag remelt furnace was used in the experiment to melt and react the constituents using a calcium fluoride slag. The process achieved 90% removal of calcium and over 99% removal of yttrium. Analyses indicate that 40% of the manganese has been removed. Argon analysis of the refined ingots indicates that 99% of the argon was removed from the vanadium alloy. (orig.)