Integral U/TRU recovery cathode system for electrorefining used nuclear fuel, method for electrorefining and harvesting metal from used nuclear fuel
Abstract
The invention provides a system for collecting metal in an electrorefining process, the system having a hollow cathode; and a container defining an upwardly extending surface adapted to be received by the hollow cathode. An embodiment of the invention provides for metal reduction to occur on laterally facing and medially facing surfaces of the cathode such that electrolyte resides between surfaces of the cathode. Also provided is a metal electrorefining process having the steps of subjecting molten salt containing metal moieties to electrolysis wherein reduced metal accumulates in a cathode-cup construct in a first position; raising the construct to a second position above the molten salt while subjecting the construct to heat from the molten salt; withdrawing the cathode from the construct into a vestibule to the electrorefiner to a third position; and removing the cathode and cup from the electrorefiner to a fourth position.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1568393
- Patent Number(s):
- 10301729
- Application Number:
- 15/143,173
- Assignee:
- UChicago Argonne, LLC (Chicago, IL)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C25 - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES C25C - PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 04/29/2016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
Citation Formats
Willit, James L., Williamson, Mark A., Wiedmeyer, Stanley G., and Tylka, Magdalena M. Integral U/TRU recovery cathode system for electrorefining used nuclear fuel, method for electrorefining and harvesting metal from used nuclear fuel. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web.
Willit, James L., Williamson, Mark A., Wiedmeyer, Stanley G., & Tylka, Magdalena M. Integral U/TRU recovery cathode system for electrorefining used nuclear fuel, method for electrorefining and harvesting metal from used nuclear fuel. United States.
Willit, James L., Williamson, Mark A., Wiedmeyer, Stanley G., and Tylka, Magdalena M. Tue .
"Integral U/TRU recovery cathode system for electrorefining used nuclear fuel, method for electrorefining and harvesting metal from used nuclear fuel". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1568393.
@article{osti_1568393,
title = {Integral U/TRU recovery cathode system for electrorefining used nuclear fuel, method for electrorefining and harvesting metal from used nuclear fuel},
author = {Willit, James L. and Williamson, Mark A. and Wiedmeyer, Stanley G. and Tylka, Magdalena M.},
abstractNote = {The invention provides a system for collecting metal in an electrorefining process, the system having a hollow cathode; and a container defining an upwardly extending surface adapted to be received by the hollow cathode. An embodiment of the invention provides for metal reduction to occur on laterally facing and medially facing surfaces of the cathode such that electrolyte resides between surfaces of the cathode. Also provided is a metal electrorefining process having the steps of subjecting molten salt containing metal moieties to electrolysis wherein reduced metal accumulates in a cathode-cup construct in a first position; raising the construct to a second position above the molten salt while subjecting the construct to heat from the molten salt; withdrawing the cathode from the construct into a vestibule to the electrorefiner to a third position; and removing the cathode and cup from the electrorefiner to a fourth position.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Tue May 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
Works referenced in this record:
High-throughput electrorefiner for recovery of U and U/TRU product from spent fuel
patent, January 2012
- Willit, James L.; Williamson, Mark A.
- US Patent Document 8,097,142
Method and apparatus for the treatment of a melt
patent, July 2003
- Dekeyser, Jacky; Fray, Derek John; Copcutt, Robert Charles
- US Patent Document 6,599,413
Method of Producing Uranium Metal by Electrolysis
patent, September 1962
- Piper, Roger D.
- US Patent Document 3052611