- By:
- Hunt, Rodney D; Collins, Jack L; Bond, Matthew; Patton, Kaara K; Quinn, Michael; Boyd, Tasha; Kurley III, James M
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Nuclear Materials
- Page Number:
- 153379
- Volume:
- 558
- Issue Number:
- 1
- Publication Date:
- November 9, 2023
- View DOI Listing:
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153379
Abstract
Silicone oil continues to be used as a gelation medium for internal gelation process. Typically, the silicone oil has been removed from the gel spheres using trichloroethylene (TCE) washes. However, TCE is no longer a viable option for large-scale operations because of environmental issues, health concerns, and disposal costs. During the development of a large gelation system at the Y-12 National Security Complex, two new TCE wash replacements were identified. NuSolv SOR-C and FluoSolv WS were used in a number of uranium runs and found to effectively remove silicone oil. NuSolv SOR-C was determined to be the best option.
