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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
Jessica Mitchell, Robert M. Counce, Jack S. Watson, B. B. Spencer, G. D. Del Cul
Nuclear Technology | Volume 170 | Number 3 | June 2010 | Pages 422-429
Technical Paper | Reprocessing | doi.org/10.13182/NT10-A10328
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Recycle of nitric acid in the UREX+ process requires removal of acetic acid. An analysis of the effects of acetic acid in each process step indicates no step will be significantly affected by the concentrations expected. Thus, acetic acid removal can be placed after the last salts are removed, just before the nitric acid is recycled. Two promising removal options have been considered, solvent extraction and distillation. Distillation requires removal of most of the water before large fractions of acetic acid are removed. The process would be energy intensive and would involve the handling of extremely concentrated nitric acid; therefore, solvent extraction appears to be more attractive.
