DRY~(SM) Disposition of Surplus Nuclear Material

摘要

The Department of Energy’srn(DOE’s) inventory of surplus uraniumrnexceeds ,000 metric tons. The diversernphysical forms and chemical makeup ofrnthese uranium streams presentrnchallenges for disposition of much ofrnthis material. Nuclear Fuel Services,rnInc. (NFS) has developed an innovativernapproach, called the DRYSM process, torndisposition these materials. ThernDRYSM process combines low enrichedrnuranium (LEU) and depleted uraniumrn(DU) into a final UO8 product withoutrnthe need for dissolution or liquidrnhandling steps. The final product is arnstable blend with a uniform U-rnenrichment equivalent to that of naturalrnuranium. DRYSM blends can be sent tornuranium mills as a high quality uraniumrn(>7%) ore and processed by standardrnmethods to provide a yellowcakernproduct suitable for use by uraniumrnconverters. Surplus LEU and DU canrnthus be economically introduced backrninto the nuclear fuel cycle saving moneyrnotherwise spent in waste disposal whilernproviding low cost fuel to nuclear powerrnplants.