Head-end

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The term head-end comes from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel and corresponds to the first process step in processing. The head-end comprises the process steps from the mechanical dismantling of the fuel elements to the chemical dissolution of the spent fuel in preparation for the extraction. In detail, these are the steps of cutting the fuel rods into pieces approx. 5 cm long. To dissolve it with nitric acid and after the dissolution process has ended, the fuel solution is cleaned of solids by filtration or centrifugation and transferred to a buffer container to balance the content of uranium and plutonium .