Idaho chemical programs annual technical report, fiscal year 1974

The operating experience in fuel processing, waste calcining, and other waste management activities for FY 1974 is summarized. A new zirconium fuel dissolver has performed well, and the first-cycle extraction system shows near-zero losses. Technical support activities include: a flowsheet to reduce acid consumption and volume of liquid wastes in the electrolytic process; a new dissolution process for ternary oxide PWR fuel using zirconium-fluoride-nitric acid dissolvent; a study and recommendation for treatment of fuel storage basin water; progress in design and development of processes for Rover and HTGR fuels, corrosion evaluation of bins containing calcined wastes showing corrosion rates indicative of a safe 500-year or greater storage life; demonstration on a pilot-plant scale of conditions for calcination of stainless steel and Rover fuel wastes as well as commercial wastes; evaluation of equipment alternatives for a new waste calcining facility; studies related to improvements in rare gas recovery and process off-gas treatment; demonstration of stability when various high-level waste solutions are mixed; progress on postcalcination treatment of calcined waste solids (ceramic formation, incorporation in metals, and calcine-concretes); studies on removal of actinides from ICPP wastes; a conceptual design for a proposed radioactive solid-waste repackaging facility for the INEL. Significant progress is reported on the program for determination of burnup for fast breeder reactor fuels. (U.S.)