Adaptation of U(IV) reductant to Savannah River Plant Purex processes

Technical Report · Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5620962· OSTI ID:5620962

Orebaugh, E. G.

Partitioning of uranium and plutonium in the Purex process requires the reduction of the extracted Pu(IV) to the less extractable Pu(III). This valence adjustment at SRP has historically been performed by the addition of ferrous ion, which eventually constitutes a major component of high-level waste solids requiring costly permanent disposal. Uranous nitrate, U(IV), is a kinetically fast reductant which may be substituted for Fe(II) without contributing to waste solids. This report documents U(IV) flowsheet development in the miniature mixer-settler equipment at SRL and provides an insight into the mechanisms responsible for the successful direct substitution of U(IV) for Fe(II) in 1B bank extractant. U(IV) will be the reductant of choice when its fast reduction kinetics are required in centrifugal-contactor-based processing. The flowsheets investigated here should transfer to such equipment with minimal modifications.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 5620962
• Report Number(s): DP-1704; ON: DE86011669
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
PLUTONIUM
REDUCTION
PUREX PROCESS
REDUCING AGENTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
FLOWSHEETS
MIXER-SETTLERS
URANIUM NITRATES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
EXTRACTION APPARATUSES
KINETICS
METALS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
400105 - Separation Procedures