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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
Yu-Keung Sze, Joseph Alfred Gosselin
Nuclear Technology | Volume 63 | Number 3 | December 1983 | Pages 431-441
Technical Paper | Chemical Processing | doi.org/10.13182/NT83-A33270
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A systematic method has been used to screen a number of potential stabilizers (holding reductants) for Pu(III) in tri-n-butyl phosphate/diluent solutions used in irradiated fuel reprocessing systems. The conditions assumed were similar to those used in solvent extraction contactor operations. Of the reagents tested, oximes as a group appeared to be very effective. Acetaldoxime, in particular, was selected for extensive tests and was used as a Pu(III) stabilizer, in both the aqueous and organic phases, in contactor runs for plutonium partition from thorium and uranium. In the best results, the plutonium loss to the thorium/uranium stream was 2.8 × 10−5 g/ℓ or 0.0046%; without using acetaldoxime, the loss was 12%. Rates of plutonium reduction in 1.5 M nitric acid have been compared for a number of reducing agents under identical conditions. Some derivatives of hydroxylamine were found to be much more effective than hydroxylamine itself.