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Title: Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels

Abstract

An electrorefining process and apparatus for the recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels is disclosed using an electrolytic cell having a lower molten cadmium pool containing spent nuclear fuel, an intermediate electrolyte pool, an anode basket containing spent fuels, two cathodes and electrical power means connected to the anode basket, cathodes and lower molten cadmium pool for providing electrical power to the cell. Using this cell, additional amounts of uranium and plutonium from the anode basket are dissolved in the lower molten cadmium pool, and then purified uranium is electrolytically transported and deposited on a first molten cadmium cathode. Subsequently, a mixture of uranium and plutonium is electrotransported and deposited on a second cathode. 3 figs.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
6348704
Patent Number(s):
7117880
Application Number:
ON: DE89010948
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02M - SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
DOE Contract Number:  
W-31109-ENG-38
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; DESIGN; SPENT FUELS; ELECTROREFINING; CADMIUM; CATHODES; DEPOSITION; ELECTROLYTIC CELLS; INVENTIONS; PLUTONIUM; SOLUBILITY; URANIUM; ACTINIDES; ELECTRODES; ELECTROLYSIS; ELEMENTS; ENERGY SOURCES; FUELS; LYSIS; MATERIALS; METALS; NUCLEAR FUELS; PROCESSING; REACTOR MATERIALS; REFINING; TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS; 050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing

Citation Formats

Ackerman, J. P., and Miller, W. E. Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels. United States: N. p., 1987. Web.
Ackerman, J. P., & Miller, W. E. Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels. United States.
Ackerman, J. P., and Miller, W. E. Thu . "Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6348704.
@article{osti_6348704,
title = {Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels},
author = {Ackerman, J. P. and Miller, W. E.},
abstractNote = {An electrorefining process and apparatus for the recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels is disclosed using an electrolytic cell having a lower molten cadmium pool containing spent nuclear fuel, an intermediate electrolyte pool, an anode basket containing spent fuels, two cathodes and electrical power means connected to the anode basket, cathodes and lower molten cadmium pool for providing electrical power to the cell. Using this cell, additional amounts of uranium and plutonium from the anode basket are dissolved in the lower molten cadmium pool, and then purified uranium is electrolytically transported and deposited on a first molten cadmium cathode. Subsequently, a mixture of uranium and plutonium is electrotransported and deposited on a second cathode. 3 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 EST 1987},
month = {Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 EST 1987}
}