Laboratory work was conducted at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Plutonium Process Support Laboratory of the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) to study flowsheet conditions to selectively precipitate plutonium oxalate from uranium-bearing Critical Mass Laboratory (CML) solutions in the PFP precipitation apparatus and to dry and calcine the resulting filtercake to generate a stable plutonium oxide bearing powder (as judged by loss-on-ignition measurements) in the ambient humidity of the remote mechanical C (RMC) line in the PFP. Based on these studies with simulated and genuine CML solutions and various constituent materials, process conditions were recommended to the PFP under which the product powders can reasonably be expected to pass the DOE-STD-3013 moisture criterion when packaged in the RMC line at relative humidity up to 80%.
Revised: October 12, 2009 |
Published: June 3, 2002