A Centrifugal Contactor Design to Facilitate Remote Replacement

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Nuclear Technology

OSTI ID:1012405

Meikrantz, David H; Law, Jack D; Garn, Troy G; Macaluso, Lawrence L

Advanced designs of nuclear fuel recycling and radioactive waste treatment plants are expected to include more ambitious goals for solvent extraction based separations including; higher separations efficiency, high-level waste minimization, and a greater focus on continuous processes to minimize cost and footprint. Therefore, Annular Centrifugal Contactors (ACCs) are destined to play a more important role for such future processing schemes. This work continues the development of remote designs for ACCs that can process the large throughputs needed for future nuclear fuel recycling and radioactive waste treatment plants. A three stage, 12.5 cm diameter rotor module has been constructed and is being evaluated for use in highly radioactive environments. This prototype assembly employs three standard CINC V-05 clean-in-place (CIP) units modified for remote service and replacement via new methods of connection for solution inlets, outlets, drain and CIP. Hydraulic testing and functional checks were successfully conducted and then the prototype was evaluated for remote handling and maintenance. Removal and replacement of the center position V-05R contactor in the three stage assembly was demonstrated using an overhead rail mounted PaR manipulator. Initial evaluation indicates a viable new design for interconnecting and cleaning individual stages while retaining the benefits of commercially reliable ACC equipment. Replacement of a single stage via remote manipulators and tools is estimated to take about 30 minutes, perhaps fast enough to support a contactor change without loss of process equilibrium. The design presented in this work is scalable to commercial ACC models from V-05 to V-20 with total throughput rates ranging from 20 to 650 liters per minute.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1012405
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-10-18179
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology Vol. 173; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
CLEANING
Centrifugal contactors
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
EXTRACTION APPARATUSES
FUNCTIONALS
HYDRAULICS
MAINTENANCE
MANIPULATORS
MINIMIZATION
NUCLEAR FUELS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECYCLING
REMOTE HANDLING
REMOVAL
ROTORS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SWITCHES
TESTING
WASTES
remote maintenance
solvent extraction equipment