skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Solvent extraction recovery of byproduct TXCs and ZSr from HNO3 solutions-a technology review and assessment

Conference · · Sep. Sci. Technol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6425956

A principal purpose of this paper is to call out what is perceived to be a timely need for increased research to develop improved and new solvent extraction technology for recovery of TXCs and ZSr from strong (greater than or equal to0.5M HNO3) acid media, technology which can be quickly scaled up to routine plant-scale operation with highly radioactive waste solutions when needed. The present and forseeable future (2020) US inventory of TXCs and ZSr is listed; much of this inventory is expected to be available only in strongly acidic nuclear waste solutions. Comparison of available methods - precipitation and ion exchange as well as solvent extraction - for recovering TXCs and ZSr from alkaline and acid media demonstrates, as expected, that very limited technology is available for use with strongly acidic solutions. Solvent extraction procedures which employ either macrocyclic polyethers (crown ethers) or dicarbolide, H )( -(3)-1, 2-B9C2H11Cl2)2Co) , to extract TXCs and ZSr from greater than or equal to0.5M HNO3 solutions have recently been proposed. But in their present state of development, both the crown ether and dicarbolide extraction processes have several drawbacks and/or unknowns. Thus, the present results should be considered as a springboard and a spur not only to further development and testing of these particular compounds, but also to continue the search for other extractants which offer even greater potential for plant-scale recovery of byproduct cesium and strontium from acidic wastes.

Research Organization:
Rockwell Hanford Operations, Richland, WA
OSTI ID:
6425956
Report Number(s):
CONF-851011-; TRN: 87-028362
Journal Information:
Sep. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 22:2/3; Conference: 4. symposium on separation science and technology for energy applications, Knoxville, TN, USA, 20 Oct 1985
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English