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 fuel using an electrolytic cell having a lower molten cadmium pool containing spent nuclear fuel, an intermediate electrolyte pool, an anode basket containing spent fuel, and two cathodes, the first cathode composed of either a solid alloy or molten cadmium and the second cathode composed of molten cadmium. Using this cell, additional amounts of uranium and plutonium from the anode basket are dissolved in the lower molten cadmium pool, and then substantially pure uranium is electrolytically transported and deposited on the first alloy or molten cadmium cathode. Subsequently, a mixture of uranium and plutonium is electrotransported and deposited on the second molten cadmium cathode.
- Inventors:
-
- Downers Grove, IL
- Naperville, IL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 867172
- Patent Number(s):
- 4880506
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- 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:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- electrorefining; process; apparatus; recovery; uranium; mixture; plutonium; spent; fuels; fuel; electrolytic; cell; molten; cadmium; pool; containing; nuclear; intermediate; electrolyte; anode; basket; cathodes; cathode; composed; solid; alloy; additional; amounts; dissolved; substantially; pure; electrolytically; transported; deposited; subsequently; electrotransported; anode basket; pure uranium; substantially pure; electrolytic cell; nuclear fuel; spent nuclear; spent fuel; refining process; pool containing; spent fuels; electrorefining process; additional amount; solid alloy; /205/204/976/
Citation Formats
Ackerman, John P, and Miller, William E. Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels. United States: N. p., 1989.
Web.
Ackerman, John P, & Miller, William E. Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels. United States.
Ackerman, John P, and Miller, William E. Sun .
"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/867172.
@article{osti_867172,
title = {Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels},
author = {Ackerman, John P and Miller, William E},
abstractNote = {An electrorefining process and apparatus for the recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuel using an electrolytic cell having a lower molten cadmium pool containing spent nuclear fuel, an intermediate electrolyte pool, an anode basket containing spent fuel, and two cathodes, the first cathode composed of either a solid alloy or molten cadmium and the second cathode composed of molten cadmium. Using this cell, additional amounts of uranium and plutonium from the anode basket are dissolved in the lower molten cadmium pool, and then substantially pure uranium is electrolytically transported and deposited on the first alloy or molten cadmium cathode. Subsequently, a mixture of uranium and plutonium is electrotransported and deposited on the second molten cadmium cathode.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989}
}