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AssigneeCommissariat a l'Energie Atomique
InventorsJean-Marc Adnet, Jacques Bourges, Pascal Bros, Philippe Brossard
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The present invention relates to a process to dissolve plutonium or a plutonium alloy, by placing it in contact with an aqueous dissolution mixture, wherein said dissolution mixture comprises nitric acid, a carboxylic acid with complexing properties with respect to plutonium, and a compound comprising at least one —NH2 radical such as urea. The invention also relates to a process to convert plutonium or a plutonium alloy into plutonium oxide and to manufacture nuclear fuel from said oxide. The invention particularly applies to the dismantling of plutonium contained in nuclear weapons with a view to its use in civilian nuclear reactors, particularly in the form of MOX fuel.
Process to dissolve plutonium or a plutonium alloy, by placing said plutonium or plutonium alloy in contact with an aqueous dissolution mixture, wherein said dissolution mixture comprises 1 to 15 mol/l of nitric acid, 1 to 8 mol/l of formic acid, and 0.2 to 1.0 mol/l of urea.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.