Abstract: Method for treating plutonium and/or uranyl nitrate by superheating and concentrating a nitric acid starting solution, characterized by the feature that nitric acid starting solution is concentrated to form a Pu(VI)-and/or U(VI)-containing nitrate melt, is poured into a mold, is solidified by cooling down, and is transported and/or stored as a solidified solid body until further processing.

Abstract: A method and a device for sintering ceramic shaped articles in a furnace which saves costs and energy but provides high throughput. To this end, the shaped articles are guided vertically through the furnace on the helical rib of a stationary, vertically positioned helix by the inner longitudinal ribs of a rotating, vertically standing tube which concentrically surrounds the helix.

Abstract: Not readily dissolvable nuclear fuel is dissolved in an airtight closed vessel or autoclave. Nitric acid is evaporated and condensed in the vessel and the nitric acid condensate trickles over the nuclear fuel disposed outside of the nitric acid undergoing evaporation.

Abstract: A container for a liquid radioactive and/or fissionable substance includes an outer container. An inner container is disposed in said outer container for receiving the substance. The inner container includes a primary container and a separate, closed secondary container having upper and lower ends. The primary container has an upper end protruding beyond said upper end of said secondary container and a lower end protruding beyond said lower end of said secondary container in longitudinal direction. A first connecting tube leads continuously downward in a direction from said lower end of said secondary container toward said lower end of said primary container. A second connecting tube leads continuously upward from said upper end of said secondary container in a direction toward said upper end of said primary container. The outer container has a fill chamber disposed therein for filling with heat-conducting filler.

Abstract: Method for the final conditioning of radioactive and/or toxic waste by fusing it into thermoplastic matrix material, binding radioactive and/or toxic pollutants contained in the waste from all sides, characterized by the feature that radioactive thermoplastic synthetic material is used as the thermoplastic matrix material.

Abstract: A glove box with tubular lines for harmful fluids and with shutoff valves inserted in the tubular lines and, respectively, formed of an actuating member and a valve body includes an exterior wall forming part of the glove box, the shutoff valves being disposed adjacent one another on the wall, the valve bodies of the shutoff valves being located on the inside of the exterior wall, and the actuating members of the valve bodies being located on the outside of the exterior wall; and a drive for driving the actuating members also located on the outside of the exterior wall and having a device for docking with the respective actuating members, the drive means being guidably displaceable in a plane parallel to said exterior wall to the respective actuating members for docking with the respective actuating members.

Abstract: Production of mixed-oxide nuclear fuel pellets of uranium dioxide (UO.sub.2+x) and plutonium dioxide (PuO.sub.2) which are soluble in nitric acid. The powder mixture of oxides is added to a halogen-free milling aid, such as propane diol, then is milled and subsequently granulated, pressed and sintered. The milling aid is expelled by subsequent drying processes or heat treatments (sintering). The milling process is controlled to obtain a primary grain size of less than two micrometers.

Abstract: Incinerator furnace for incinerating organic substances, especially compounds which contain radioactive actinides in chemically bound form or are contaminated with chemical compounds, having an incinerating chamber which has a feed opening for oxygen-containing gas, a discharge opening for exhaust gas, and a filter body of the exhaust gas stream. The filter body is cup-shaped, and is arranged with its opening at the feed opening for oxygen-containing gas. The filter body on the side facing the feed opening for oxygen-containing gas forms a receiving space for the organic substances.

Abstract: Container, especially for radioactive substances such as radioactive liquids, with an inner container for receiving these substances and an outer container, in which the inner container and thermal insulation between the inner and outer container are located. The inner container is associated with a cooling tube within the outer container which tube contains a coolant that can be circulated. A heat discharge tube likewise containing the coolant that can be circulated is arranged at the outer container. The cooling tube and the heat discharge tube are in communication with each other via connecting lines at both tube ends.

Abstract: A pressing device for producing compacts from source material in powder form in a die-plate bore with a filling shoe and a feed tube with feedscrew as metering means of a reservoir for the source material powder wherein in the transport path for the source material powder, between the end of the feed tube and an outflow opening of the filling shoe, is a passing sieve with associated passing element for removing agglomerates in the source material powder.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating a granular substance, especially for milling nuclear reactor fuel in powder form having a treatment drum supported rotatably about a central axis, an associated drive unit to drive the treatment drum about this central axis, and a cover at one end. The cover has two cover sections which are arranged side by side in the direction of the central axis of the treatment drum and can be rotated relative to each other about the central axis between two stops by means of a cover drive unit. The outer cover section has an opening for docking a substance container and the inner cover section has a passage opening which is aligned at one of the two stops with the opening for docking and which is closed at the other stop by the outer cover section. The treatment drum can be tilted about a tilting axis perpendicular to its central axis by means of a tilting unit.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing Pu.sub.2 -containing crystals by oxidizing plutonium in a heavily contaminated nitric acid starting solution to Pu.sup.6+, precipitating ammonium plutonyl carbonate containing crystals by reaction with ammonium- and carbonate ions and subsequent separating and calcining of these crystals. The nitric acid solution with the oxidized Pu.sup.6+ as well as carbonate and/or acetate ions and NH.sub.3 are dosed into an aqueous starting solution of ammonium carbonate or ammonium acetate in a concentration such that the mol ratio of carbonate and/or acetate ions to the Pu.sup.6+ -ions in the solution is at least 4:1 and plutonium containing carbonato- or acetato complex compounds which remain dissolved in the receiver solution, are formed, while difficult-to-dissolve metal hydroxide compounds are precipitated. Thereupon NH.sub.3 and carbonate ions are added to precipitate the ammonium plutonyl carbonate containing crystals.

Abstract: Method for dissolving hard-to-dissolve thorium and/or plutonium oxides, especially dioxides such as ThO.sub.2, PuO.sub.2 or (U/Pu)O.sub.2 mixed oxides by heating the oxides in a hermetically sealed vessel in fluoride-free nitric acid. The use of a gas atmosphere containing oxygen in the sealed vessel is advantageous.

Abstract: Reprocessing a nuclear reactor fuel rod which contains nuclear fuel in a cladding tube, by removing the cladding tube from the nuclear fuel. The cladding tube is uniformly heated in hermetically sealed condition together with the nuclear fuel contained thereon to permanently expand the diameter of the cladding tube without the formation of cracks in the cladding tube, increasing the distance between the nuclear fuel and the cladding tube. Subsequently the expanded cladding tube is opened at one end. The nuclear fuel is removed from the opened cladding tube and is processed further, separate from the cladding tube.

Abstract: Method for producing molded blanks of ceramic powder, for instance, nuclear reactor fuels such as UO.sub.2, PuO.sub.2, ThO.sub.2 or (U/Pu)O.sub.2 -mixed oxides in powder form in a mold belonging to the molding device. The device has a die with a hole and a plunger with a head movable in this hole relative to this die, by which the wall of the hole is lubricated with a lubricant, characterized by the feature that a paste and/or wax-like substance, preferably a lubricating grease is used as the lubricant and that it has a dripping point which is higher than the operating temperature of the mold.

Abstract: Pressing device for producing compacts from source material in powder form, in particular pulverized nuclear reactor fuel having a die-plate contained in platen and a bore associated with a ram, for receiving source material powder, a filling shoe, and a reservoir for powder connected by a hose to the filling shoe. The device is characterized by a passing wheel in the filling shoe as filling aid means; a tube containing a feedscrew disposed between the reservoir and hose as metering means; the reservoir having a bottom part with a can type place-on part with an opening eccentric to the axis; a coupling part and a cover part are placed on the open part of the can, these parts are also provided with a passageway to the feedscrew eccentric to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Increasing the oxidation state of plutonium to Pu (VI) by circulating a starting solution of U.sup.6 and Pu.sup.4 -nitrates and HNO.sub.3 through an electrolysis cell at an electrode voltage of about 3 volts.

Abstract: Dissolving hard-to-dissolve nuclear fuels such as ThO.sub.2 and PuO.sub.2 in a nitric acid fission material solution which contains nitric acid and a Pu-fluoride complex to provide free fluorine ions in a small catalytically active amount due to small dissociation of fluoride ions from the Pu-fluoride complex. This permits dissolving hard-to-dissolve nuclear fuels in normal metallic dissolving vessels and also eliminates need for using polytetrafluoroethylene.

Abstract: Purifying a nitric acid solution containing U/Pu ions and contaminated by metal impurities by(a) oxidizing the U/Pu ions of the solution to the hexavalent form,(b) conducting the solution after oxidation through a cation exchanger column in which the impurities, especially americium, are retained,(c) flushing the cation exchanger column to remove impurities therefrom, which may be taken to waste processing or utilization plant.

Abstract: Conversion of plutonium nitrate containing americium as a contaminant into plutonium dioxide while concurrently preventing americium contaminant from passing into the plutonium dioxide product. Discontinuous precipitation of plutonium oxalate is effected by maintaining the Pu nitrate-nitric acid solution containing americium in a reaction vessel at 60.degree.-95.degree. C., adding granular solid oxalic acid or solid ammonium oxalate in freeflowing form substantially free of clusters and lumps in stoichiometric deficiency of up to 7% of oxalic acid for reaction with the Pu in the solution; separating resultant Pu oxalate precipitate into which at least a portion of the americium contaminant has been prevented from entering, and calcining the purified Pu oxalate precipitate to PuO.sub.2.