Direct electrolytic reduction of UO{sub 2} vs. U{sub 3}O{sub 8}
- Chemical Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory: 9700 S. Cass Ave, Argonne, IL, 60615 (United States)
UO{sub 2} and U{sub 3}O{sub 8} have been electrochemically reduced to uranium metal by direct electrolytic reduction at 650 deg. C in molten LiCl-Li{sub 2}O. Differences in electrolyte concentrations and efficiency have been observed in the reduction process as a function of using UO{sub 2} vs. U{sub 3}O{sub 8} as the feed material. Numerous tests with UO{sub 2} as the feed material have been conducted to optimize the electrochemical cell design and process chemistry. These studies have reproducibly demonstrated greater than 99% reduction with current efficiencies as high as 75% and only a slight decrease in the Li{sub 2}O concentration. Initial scoping experiments using U{sub 3}O{sub 8} have achieved greater than 93% reduction to uranium metal. However, in the U{sub 3}O{sub 8} experiments, the Li{sub 2}O concentration dropped significantly upon introducing the feed basket into the cell electrolyte due to formation of Li{sub 2}UO{sub 4}., but under appropriate conditions could be fully reduced to metal. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 20979625
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Advanced nuclear fuel cycles and systems (GLOBAL 2007), Boise - Idaho (United States), 9-13 Sep 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; 6 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of GLOBAL 2007 conference on advanced nuclear fuel cycles and systems, 1873 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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