b'Acoustic cavitation ofHigh power acoustic soundwaves enable 67% uranium tristructural isotropic fuel forrecovery from tristructural isotropic fuel particles.efficient recovery of high- H igh power acoustic soundwaves were delivered to aqueous media containing tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles via a sonicator assay low-enriched uranium apparatus to penetrate the multiple layers of the particles and access the uranium fuel kernels for recovery. The most formidable layer being silicon carbide, which acts as a pressure vessel trapping fission products and fission product gases from release during operation in a reactor core. Initial attempts proved successful in a 0.1 M nitric acid medium by producing a 5% uranium recovery after 40 hours of sonication. After the working hypothesis was proven, adjustments were made to PROJECT NUMBER:the experimental methodology to optimize the uranium recovery. Upon adjusting 21A1050-034FP acid concentration up to 6.0 M and increasing the sonication time to 55 hours, a 67% uranium recovery was achieved. Scanning electron microscope images were TOTAL APPROVED AMOUNT:obtained after 40 hours of sonication on some remaining intact TRISO particles to $1,271,000 over 3 years visualize the direct effect of cavitation. The images revealed three types of damage PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:to the TRISO particles: complete removal of all TRISO layers leaving exposed Travis Grimes uranium fuel kernels, obliteration to portions of the carbon and silicon carbide layers exposing the inner fuel kernels, and channeling through the silicon carbide layer and CO-INVESTIGATORS: subsequent carbon layers to the uranium center.Fidelma Di Lemma, INLPeter Zalupski, INLTALENT PIPELINE:Thibaut Lecrivain, Glenn T. Seaborg Distinguished Postdoc at INLa)b) c)Scanning electron microscopy images showing a) complete removal of all TRISO layers showing exposed uranium fuel kernels, b) obliteration of the outer carbon and silicon carbide layers revealing the uranium fuel kernel, c) channeling through the silicon carbide and inner carbon layers to reach the uranium center.65'