Abstract: Recovering fission material from solid raw wastes and producing a space-saving product which can be committed to ultimate storage by the following steps:(a) a comminution of the raw wastes to a grain size of about 5 mm(b) dissolution thereof at elevated temperature in an organic solvent until a concentration of about 10 percent by weight is reached(c) separation of insoluble raw waste particles larger than 1 mm.(d) separation of the undissolved fission material content remaining in the polymer solution by means of a centrifuge(e) evaporation and condensation of the solvents for return into the dissolving process according to (b)(f) embedding the waste component from (c) into the remaining plastic melt(g) drawing-off the melt and solidification thereof in storage containers.

Abstract: Production of UO.sub.2 nuclear fuel pellets containing PuO.sub.2 in set amounts, which pellets are soluble in nitric acid and suitable for reprocessing without the aid of a special additive. Uranium oxide powder is mixed with 15 to 50% by weight of the mixture of plutonium oxide powder; the mixture milled and pressed into pellets. The pellets are sintered, comminuted, pressed to form pellets and the pellets comminuted to free-flowing granules. The free-flowing granules are mixed with UO.sub.2 granules to obtain a desired UO.sub.2 /PuO.sub.2 ratio, and the mixture pressed into pellets and sintered to form UO.sub.2 nuclear fuel pellets containing PuO.sub.2 soluble in nitric acid.

Abstract: Manufacture of uranium/plutonium oxide mixed crystals soluble in nitric acid in which a solution of uranium nitrate and plutonium nitrate are oxidized to cause the plutonium to reach valence VI. The oxidized solution is admixed with ammonium carbonate, oxalate or carbamate and the pH adjusted to 8.1 to 8.5 to precipitate an ammonium uranyl plutonyl carbonate, oxalate or carbamate. The precipitate is calcined to uranium/plutonium oxide.

Abstract: Method for controlling desired redox potential in hydrogencontaining protective gases used in high-temperature furnaces in powder-metallurgical processes. A sample of the protective gas is withdrawn from the furnace and the redox potential of the sample measured at the high temperature to produce treated bodies of good quality. Humidifying the gases blowing through the furnace is employed to erase or minimize a deviation of the redox potential of the sample from a predetermined redox potential. Ax oxygen-hydrogen mixture may be obtained by electrolysis of water as a function of the measured redox potential and this mixture may be used for humidification. In this manner good quality end products are assured despite fluctuations in throughput and properties of material entering the furnace.

Abstract: Device for introducing a power-transmitting machine element into a vessel containing an agressive atmosphere and having a wall formed with openings, to the defining margin of which gloves are, respectively, secured, includes: a flange set into the wall, a sealing bearing for a force-transmitting machine element mounted on the flange at the outside of the vessel, and threaded fastening means accessible from the interior of the vessel for threadedly fastening the machine element to the flange, the flange having an outer peripheral surface formed with a bead-like projection at the outside of the vessel to which a covering is securable.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing plutonium fuel rods includes a glove box wherein jacket tubes are filled with fuel and closed at the ends thereof, said glove box having a side thereof formed with a substantially cylindrical opening, a disc formed with bores for introducing the jacket tubes therein being received in the cylindrical opening, a respective sluice for an end of a jacket tube disposed in front of each of the introducing bores, each of the sluices including a stopcock, a seal engageable with a jacket tube at the outside thereof, and a tube section extending from the seal to the stopcock, the sluices having respective central axes distributed about the periphery of a circle having a center coinciding with the central axis of the cylindrical opening formed in the side of the glove box.

Abstract: Sintering nuclear fuel pellets of nuclear fuel oxides having oxygen in stoichiometric excess of the dioxides by passing the nuclear fuel pellets through a reduction furnace having a reducing atmosphere under regulated exposure time or residence time to produce reduced nuclear fuel oxides of desired oxygen content. The reduced pellets are cooled and sent to an intermediate station for checking or holding. The cooled pellets from the intermediate station are sent through a sintering furnace with means for independently regulating the exposure time or residence time in the sintering furnace. Additional features are the independent control of the atmospheres and temperature as well as the humidity concentration in each furnace. Less expensive nitrogen gas may efficiently be used in the process.

Abstract: For use as a power source in heart pacers, plutonium dioxide having a naturally-occurring oxygen isotope composition is converted into solid phase PuCl.sub.3 which is subsequently oxidized to form plutonium dioxide of the desired isotope composition by means of water vapor, the oxygen component of which consists essentially of the isotope .sup.16 O. Apparatus suited for this purpose is also described.