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11:40 Dec 7, 2010
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere
French to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Nuclear Eng/Sci / uranium cylinder maintenance
French term or phrase:fonds solides
A little technical bit thrown into an otherwise innocuous contract!
Cylindre pompé: Cylindre ayant subi des cycles d’extraction de l’UF6 afin d’éliminer le pied de cuve, de telle sorte qu’il ne subsiste dans le cylindre que les dépôts appelés fonds solides.
Whilst the temptation is to put "solid residue/dregs" or similar, I feel that there ought to be a proper term, which I can´t find.
Contrary to expectation (hence why I posed the question!) the client has actually come back to me on this one! They have given me: "solid uranics on the cylinder internal walls"
Despite the fact that I can only find one good ref for "solid uranic residue", this is the client's choice so not sure I can override it without convincing proof.
Parrot Spain Local time: 08:03 Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: That's actually the translation i've been given for "pieds de cuve". Cylinders come as "propre/clean", "avec pied de cuve/heeled" and "pompe/pumped" (no heels only this residue)
Asker: I'm not against using a generic term, its just the way the ST is worded "dépôts appelés fonds solides" makes me feel that there should be a proper term for it, otherwise they could just have put "dépôts".
Even if I gather from what follows that the solid waste can be leached out (depending on the composition of the solid residual; see oxalic acid treatment below) and pumped out.
Unloading of UF6 cylinders usually is accomplished by heating the cylinder in an autoclave. The UF6 then sublimates (becomes a gas) and is fed into the receiving plant. However, there are also gamma-emitting decay products of the U-238 and U-235 present in the cylinder, namely Th-234, Pa-234m, and Th-231. They have grown in within a few months after the chemical separation of the uranium, and they do not form gaseous compounds with fluorine. They rather tend to concentrate in a residue called "HEELS" WHICH IS NOT REMOVED FROM THE CYLINDER.
These decay products (in particular Pa-234m) happen to be the major source of gamma radiation in the cylinder; the uranium itself emits only smaller amounts of gamma radiation. In a full cylinder, only a small fraction of the gamma radiation generated reaches the cylinder surface, since most of the gamma radiation is shielded by the uranium contained. IN AN "EMPTY" CYLINDER, HOWEVER, THE MAJOR SOURCE OF GAMMA RADIATION IS STILL PRESENT IN THE HEELS and now reaches the cylinder surface nearly unhindered. http://www.wise-uranium.org/rup.html
TANK HEEL
A tank heel is the amount of liquid remaining in each tank after lowering to the greatest extent possible BY USE OF THE EXISTING transfer equipment, such as ejectors.
TANK RESIDUAL
The tank residual is the amount of radioactive waste remaining in each tank, the removal of which is not considered to be technically and economically practical. THIS COULD BE THE TANK HEEL OR THE AMOUNT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE REMAINING AFTER ADDITIONAL REMOVAL using OTHER METHODS THAN THE EXISTING transfer equipment. http://www.id.doe.gov/EIS/Chpts/ch_7.pdf
Plenty on "residual waste" in storage tanks here:
The RESIDUAL WASTE VOLUME includes material in the bottom of the tank (SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS), in equipment in the tank, on the stiffener rings, and on the tank wall. The moisture content data were determined using differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetric analysis. [ .. ]
For tank C-106, FINAL RETRIEVAL was achieved using a 0.9 M oxalic acid solution to DISSOLVE AND SUSPEND THE SOLIDS, WHICH WERE THEN PUMPED OUT as much as possible. [ ... ]
Contaminants present in TANK RESIDUAL WASTE occur as components of the solid phases and the solution phase that may be present http://www.pnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_repo...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2010-12-07 15:19:02 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
"Solid uranic residue" might not be ghit-successful, but it is clear and to the point.
Oxalic acid out, citric acid in.
xxxBourth Local time: 08:03 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 218
The translation workplace 
