Electrorefining of cerium: Part 2, Cerium as a surrogate for plutonium electrorefining studies

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10136357· OSTI ID:10136357

Raraz, A G; Mishra, B; Olson, D L; Moore, J J ^[1]

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1. Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States). Kroll Inst. for Extractive Metallurgy

The plutonium metal produced by the Direct Oxide Reduction Process is associated with other metallic impurities that have to be removed. The purification of plutonium is achieved using electrorefining process through a molten salt medium. The optimization of process parameters involved in electrorefining is required to make the process effective, in terms of the metal purity, cell efficiency and overall process reliability. Since the study of strategic and radioactive metals requires the use of a surrogate, it is important to choose surrogates that simulate the process as closely as possible. Cerium has been chosen to study the electrorefining behavior of plutonium. The differences that exist in the physico-chemical properties between the two metals have been critically examined and appropriate models have been developed to study the behavior. Cerium is a justified choice for the investigation.

• Research Organization: EG and G Rocky Flats, Inc., Golden, CO (United States). Rocky Flats Plant; Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States). Kroll Inst. for Extractive Metallurgy
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC34-90DP62349
• OSTI ID: 10136357
• Report Number(s): RFP--4565; ON: DE92010949; IN: MT/EXT/092/010
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050700
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400400
CERIUM
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE
ELECTROREFINING
FUELS PRODUCTION AND PROPERTIES
MOLTEN SALTS
PLUTONIUM
PREPARATION AND FABRICATION
SIMULATION
STIRRING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THERMODYNAMIC ACTIVITY