Browsing by Author "Baillie, MG"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    A conceptual design study of a low throughput reprocessing facility for nuclear fuel
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1967-11) Cairns, RC; May, JR; Baillie, MG; Farrell, MS
    The idea of reducing fuel reprocessing costs by changing reprocessing plant design philosophy is explained. It is shown how a significant reduction in unit reprocessing costs can lead to earlier recovery of nuclear material. A classification is given of some existing nuclear chemical reprocessing plants as a function of their maintenance philosophies. The feasibility of the rack concept is discussed for application to a conceptual low throughput reprocessing plant specifically designed for reprocessing fuel from the A.A.E.C.'s Dido-class reactor HIFAR. Laboratory and design development work is described. Preliminary cost estimates are given for a site at the Research Establishment, Lucas Heights, with maximum use of existing facilities, services, and plant. The study did not reveal any technical difficulties that would make the rack concept impractical. The concept of indirect maintenance for items of equipment which are likely to require frequent attention is technically feasible, and it appears possible to remove racks for repair of equipment by normal direct maintenance techniques. Additional development followed by plant construction and operation would be necessary to verify these conclusions and to establish any cost advantages. However, the cost estimates deduced at the start of the study did not change substantially during the course of the work.
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    Development of a ten stage mixer settler for U235 solutions, Part 1
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1958-11) Baillie, MG; Cairns, RC
    This report deals with the development of a 10 stage mixer settler. The unit is based on extraction conditions expected for processing HIFAR fuel elements, on which information is available, but the equipment can be used for other fuel types. Qualitative experimental work, which as necessary before the multistage unit could be designed with confidence, is reported for a single stage mixer settler. A brief review of the criticality problem for processing U235 enriched fuel is given and actual dimensions are specified for the case of HIFAR elements. The proposed work with the 10 stage unit is given.
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    Development of a ten-stage mixer-settler for U235 solutions, Part 2
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1960-12) Baillie, MG; Cairns, RC
    Experimental work on a ten-stage mixer-settler is described. This includes the effects of impeller position and flow rate on its operation and the inactive extraction efficiency under conditions, such as are expected in the reprocessing of HIFAR fuel elements. Equilibrium data were determined for the systems used and a method for interface detection over a wide range of solution concentration developed. The mixer-settlers designed have been shown to be hydrodynamically practicable. It was found that interface height is controlled satisfactorily by correct positioning of the impeller above the mixer base and that the pump mix type of impeller recommended elsewhere is not essential.
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    Development of solvent extraction processes for the H.T.G.C.R. fuel cycle, Part 1 - design of a flow-sheet for the recovery of actinides.
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1965-06) Baillie, MG; Ryan, RK
    A preliminary flowsheet for the recovery and decontamination of residual actinides in spent H.T.G.C.R. fuel has been designed. A calculation method for the multicomponent liquid—liquid extraction system H20 - UO2(NO3)2 - Th(NO3)4 - Be(N03)2 - HNO3 - TPP - Kerosene using the limited equilibrium data available is described. The flowsheet which has been designed incorporates a novel "split contactor" concept which is necessary to prevent third phase problems.
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    Economics of the H.T.G.C.R. fuel cycle, Part 2 - fuel cycle cost studies.
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1967-06) Hubery, RW; Baillie, MG
    The use of beryllium oxide as a moderator in a high temperature gas-cooled pebble bed reactor system which has been under study by the Commission incurs penalties due to its relatively high cost and the difficulty of reprocessing the fuel. This report examines the basic open and closed fuel cycles for such a system and defines the parameters affecting the cost of each cycle. Analytical relationships are developed for each cost component to facilitate calculations over a wide range of reactor design variables. This approach is of value during initial optimisation studies on a reactor concept. Calculations based on a 200 MWe design show that, using optimistic assumptions, recycle of spent fuel would be economically attractive for installed capacities greater than 800 MWe.
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    Laboratory development of the grind-leach process for the H.T.G.C.R. fuel cycle, Part III - comminution of beryllia matrix fuels.
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1966-10) Baillie, MG; Hubery, RW
    A comminution process has been studied for the preparation of fuel from an H.T.G.C.R. pebble bed reactor for leaching prior to purification and recycle of its valuable constituents the selection of suitable equipment for this step is discussed, and experimental work to demonstrate a three-stage vibratory grinding circuit on a small scale, using inactive fuel, is described it has been shown that, for inactive fuel, a ground product having characteristics which make it suitable for feed material to the selective leaching step can be produced by this technique.
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    Papers presented to the AAEC symposium on uranium processing, Lucas Heights, 20-21 July, 1972
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1972-09) Miles, GL; Harltey, FR; Butler, RD; Henley, KJ; Cooper, RS; Kelly, A; Goldney, LH; Canning, RG; Gooden, JEA; Baillie, MG; Thomas, JA; Hardy, CJ; Alfredson, PG; Costello, JM; Silver, JM; Richmond, M
    Review of nuclear fuel cycles and world trends; Conventional processes to produce yellow cake; Carbonate leaching of uranium ores, a review; The application of mineralogy to uranium ore processing; Extraction investigations with some Australian uranium ores; Planned changes in the Mary Kathleen treatment plant for future operations; Possible trends and methods for the production of high purity products; Review of methods and technology for the reproduction of high purity products; Review of methods and technology for the production of uranium hexafluoride; Capital and production costs for the production of uranium hexafluoride; The market for Australian conversion services.
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    Pulse columns in nuclear fuel processing, Part 11 - flooding characteristics, and Part 111 - correlation of flooding characteristics in terms of physics properties of the phases.
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1961-06) Baillie, MG
    Part I of a study of Pulse Columns in Nuclear Fuel Processing was published as AAEC-E-50. Following the conclusions and recommendations of the report two aspects of the study were investigated and are described herein. The first aspect (Part II) was an investigation of the flooding characteristics of a one inch diameter pulse column used to extract uranium from relatively viscous, high density feed solutions of aluminum and uranium nitrates. For the particular solution used the density was 1.240 g/m3 and the viscosity was 3.31 centipoises. The optimum pulse volume velocity (product of pulse amplitude and frequency) to give maximum throughput without flooding for this solution was found to lie between 970 and 1150 Imp. gal/(hr)(ft2). Part III describes the second aspect, an investigation of the effect of variations in the physical properties of the phases on flooding behaviour in a one inch pulse column at optimum pulse volume velocity. A correlation as a power function has been determined over a range of conditions in which the aqueous phase density varied from 1.13 to 1.37 g/m3, the organic phase density from 0.773 to 0.887 g/m3, the aqueous phase viscosity from 1.9 to 10.6 centipoises, the organic phase viscosity from 1.1 to 5.6 centipoises and the interfacial tension between the two phases from 8.9 to 15.8 dynes/cm. The correlation, determined at a continuous phase flow rate of 120m1/min can be used in the range 80 to 180 m1/min.
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    Pulse columns in nuclear fuel reprocessing, Part 1 - literature survey.
    (Australian Atomic Energy Commission, 1960-06) Baillie, MG
    A survey of relevant literature on the use of pulse columns for the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel has been made. The effects of design and operating variables on flood point and mass transfer and the various methods of correlation are reviewed. Recommendations are made for further work into some aspects of the design and use of pulse columns.