NOTE 1: This project is being offered by a Caltech alum and is open only to Caltech students. The project with take place at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE 2: Due to funding requirements, this SURF is open only to US citizens.
A two-step process is currently being developed for recycling spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors. The first step involves chlorination of uranium and fission product oxides via reaction with ZrCl4 to form chlorides that dissolve in a molten salt solution. A key unknown is what degree of conversion each metal oxide will undergo to the chloride. Experimental data is needed on several different metal oxides.
|