Vanadium Recycling
Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 26 / Number 3P2 / November 1994 / Pages 1014-1020
Tritium Technology, Safety, Environment, and Remote Maintenance / Proceedings of the Eleventh Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy New Orleans, Louisiana June 19-23, 1994 / dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST94-A40288
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Very stringent purity specifications must be applied to low activation vanadium alloys, in order to meet recycling goals requiring low residual dose rates after 50–100 years. Following a suitable cooling period after their use, the vanadium alloy components could be melted in a controlled atmosphere to remove volatile radioisotopes. The aim of the melting and decontamination process will be the achievement of dose rates low enough for “hands-on” refabrication of new reactor components from the reclaimed metal. The processes required to permit hands-on recycling appear to be technically feasible, and demonstration experiments are recommended.
