ML21145A258

Advanced Reactors GEIS Docs - INL - Hybrid Zirconium Extraction (Zircex) Process

ML21145A258
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Issue date:	05/25/2021
From:	NRC
To:	NRC/NMSS/DREFS
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From:

Giacinto, Joseph Sent:

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 2:05 PM To:

AdvancedReactors-GEISDocsPEm Resource

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INL - Hybrid Zirconium Extraction (ZIRCEX) Process Attachments:

INL 2019 HALEU_ZIRCEXProcessFactSheet.pdf

Hybrid Zirconium Extraction (ZIRCEX) Process Recovering and downblending HEU from federally owned fuels T

he hybrid ZIRCEX (short for zirconium removal prior to extraction) process recovers highly enriched uranium (HEU) and downblends it to create High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU), defined as uranium containing between 5% and 20% U-235.

Why ZIRCEX?

Previous recovery of HEU from irradiated fuels utilized liquid head-end processes that dissolved the entire fuel element (including cladding material) creating a large amount of secondary waste.

This is avoided as ZIRCEX is a dry head-end process, which reduces the amount of liquid waste by a factor of over 1,000. In addition, any residual liquid waste is solidified by vitrification, eliminating liquid waste.

The Hybrid Process The process feed is composed of previously irradiated fuels in the federal complex and incorporates three steps:

• Step 1 - Cladding (zirconium or aluminum) is removed from nuclear fuel by the ZIRCEX dry head-end process.

• Step 2 - Uranium is decontaminated from fission products by a very compact, modular solvent extraction system. The fission products and other residues are immobilized in glass using a small in-can melt.

• Step 3 - The uranium is downblended to between 5% and 20% U-235, prior to solidification and fuel fabrication.

DOEs HALEU Program enables deployment of advanced reactors to help secure Americas clean energy future.

What is HALEU?

High-assay, low-enriched uranium. Uranium containing between 5% and 20% U-235.

Why is HALEU needed?

Fosters advanced reactor development and supports better nuclear power plant economics.

What are the HALEU sources?

Long-term - Enrichment Interim - Downblending current and/or recovered highly enriched uranium (HEU) in the federal complex. HEU contains 20% or more U-235.

ZIRCEX to date INL first conducted laboratory scale testing with unirradiated zirconium alloy to determine operating parameters for irradiated fuel samples.

The parameters were used to conduct irradiated fuel samples tests which successfully determined that reaction rates for irradiated and unirradiated fuel were comparable. This is important as working with unirradiated materials allows for expeditious testing, resulting in shorter research and development time.

Currently, INL is using a one-fourth scale pilot facility to conduct research and development of the ZIRCEX process on unirradiated materials which will inform the integrated hybrid ZIRCEX process demonstration.

The ZIRCEX process pilot plant at INLs INTEC facility

How do we transition from a LEU to a HALEU Fuel Cycle?

Infrastructure updates are needed to address safety, safeguards and security.

Companies making investments need a robust HALEU market.

Advanced reactor developers require HALEU to test their concepts, which in turn create the HALEU market.

This research-and-bridge role is a familiar one for DOE. The agency has been instrumental in advancing technologies for renewables and other energy types.

19-50467-05_R3 Terry Todd (208) 526-3365 terry.todd@inl.gov Joseph Campbell (208) 526-7785 joseph.campbell@inl.gov For more information The hybrid ZIRCEX process for HALEU recovery GAINnuclear GAINnuclear gain_nuclear gain.inl.gov National Lab Partnership INL is working with DOE national laboratories integrating their expertise in the development of the hybrid ZIRCEX process.

The partnership supports the hybrid process decontamination and downblending steps. Key partners include:

• Argonne National Laboratory - Solvent Extraction

• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - Waste Treatment

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Product Solidification Path Forward INL is currently conducting testing of the one-fourth scale ZIRCEX pilot plant, while evaluating testing and demonstration of the hybrid ZIRCEX process using irradiated materials with its laboratory partners HALEU fuels will be used in many new advanced reactor designs, some using entirely new fabrication techniques.