Safeguards in Pyroprocessing: an Integrated Model Development and Measurement Data Analysis

Technical Report · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1416356· OSTI ID:1416356

Zhang, Jinsuo ^[1]

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1. The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States). Nuclear Engineering Program, Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Dept of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Ohio State University

Pyroprocessing is an electrochemical method based on the molten salt electrolyte, mainly the LiCl-KCl eutectic molten salt, to recycle the used nuclear fuel. For a conceptual design of commercial pyroprocessing facility, tons of special nuclear materials, namely U and Pu, may be involved, which could be used for non-peaceful purposes if they are diverted. Effective safeguards approaches have to be developed prior to the development and construction of a pyroprocessing facility. Present research focused on two main objectives, namely calculating the properties of nuclear species in LiCl-KCl molten salt and developing integrated model to safeguard a pyroprocessing facility. Understanding the characteristics of special nuclear materials in LiCl-KCl eutectic salt is extremely important to understand their behaviors in an electrorefiner. The model development for the separation processes in the pyroprocessing, including electrorefining, actinide drawdown, and rare earth drawdown benefits the understanding of material transport and separation performance of these processes under various conditions. The output signals, such as potential, current, and species concentration contribute to the material balance closure and provide safeguards signatures to detect the scenarios of diversion. U and Pu are the two main elements concerned in this study due to our interest in safeguards.

• Research Organization: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States). Research Foundation
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• DOE Contract Number: NE0000710
• OSTI ID: 1416356
• Report Number(s): 13--4908; 13-4908
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ELECTROREFINING
EUTECTICS
LITHIUM CHLORIDES
MOLTEN SALTS
NUCLEAR FUELS
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES