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US 5,473,648 AGranted
Decontamination process
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRichard I. Larson, Michael R. Chilton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process of decontaminating zirconium-based alloy claddings tubes used in nuclear reactor fuel rods. The process involved the use of a permanganate in a dilute acid solution. The process renders the alloy suitable for uncontrolled release into a non-radioactive environment.
Claims10
A process of removing a UO.sub.2 contaminate from a zirconium-based alloy comprising:
- i) contacting said UO.sub.2 contaminated zirconium-based alloy with a permanganate-containing dilute acid solution under conditions such that oxidation of said UO.sub.2 and dissolution of the resulting UO.sub.2 oxidation product into said solution are effected, and
- ii) removing said zirconium-based alloy from said solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.