Chemical enhancement of ultrasonic fuel cleaning

摘要

A method for cleaning an irradiated nuclear fuel assembly includes chemically enhancing a technique utilizing an apparatus including a housing adapted to engage a nuclear fuel assembly. A set of ultrasonic transducers is positioned on the housing to supply radially emanating omnidirectional ultrasonic energy to remove deposits from the nuclear fuel assembly. Any corrosion products remaining after ultrasonic fuel cleaning will have exposed surfaces that are susceptible to chemical dissolution.