Patent Number: 046876006
Section: claims

1. Treating process for the separation of coated nuclear fuel particles from a graphitic matrix in which the nuclear fuel particles are embedded; comprising removing the graphite encasing the nuclear fuel particles through comminuting of said graphite by a brush, said brush and said graphite being moved towards each other at a pressure so as to comminute said graphite while concurrently isolating the nuclear fuel particles with their coating or the nuclear fuel particles themselves in an undestroyed, intact condition; and separating the nuclear fuel particles contained in the brushed material from the comminuted graphite. 2. Treating process as claimed in claim 1, comprising exposing said separated nuclear fuel particles in a crushing means. 3. Treating process as claimed in claim 2, said crushing means comprising a jaw crusher. 4. Treating process as claimed in claim 2 or 3, said crushing means comprising a roll crusher. 5. Treating process as claimed in claim 2, comprising conducting graphite residues containing nuclear fuel particles which have not been conveyed away during the brushing step to said crushing means. 6. Treating process as claimed in claim 2, comprising chemically dissolving the nuclear fuel particles comminuted in said crushing means subsequent to sifting of the ground material and separation of graphite. 7. Treating process as claimed in claim 1, comprising conditioning and storing the separated graphite.