Water Sorption/Desorption Characteristics of Eutectic LiCl-KCl Salt-Occluded Zeolites

Journal Article · Fri Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.7733/jnfcwt.2022.021· OSTI ID:1961410

Harward, Allison ^[1]; Gardner, Levi ^[2]; Oldham, Claire Decker ^[1]; Carlson, Krista ^[3]; Yoo, Tae-Sic ^[4]; Fredrickson, Guy ^[4]; Patterson, Michael ^[4]; Simpson, Michael F. ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
2. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
3. Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)
4. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Molten salt consisting primarily of eutectic LiCl-KCl is currently being used in electrorefiners in the Fuel Conditioning Facility at Idaho National Laboratory. Options are currently being evaluated for storing this salt outside of the argon atmosphere hot cell. The hygroscopic nature of eutectic LiCl-KCl makes is susceptible to deliquescence in air followed by extreme corrosion of metallic cannisters. In this study, the effect of occluding the salt into a zeolite on water sorption/desorption was tested. Two zeolites were investigated: Na-Y and zeolite 4A. Na-Y was ineffective at occluding a high percentage of the salt at either 10 or 20wt% loading. Zeolite-4A was effective at occluding the salt with high efficiency at both loading levels. Weight gain in salt occluded zeolite-4A (SOZ) from water sorption at 20% relative humidity and 40°C was 17wt% for 10% SOZ and 10wt% for 20% SOZ. In both cases, neither deliquescence nor corrosion occurred over a period of 31 days. After hydration, most of the water could be driven off by heating the hydrated salt occluded zeolite to 530°C. However, some HCl forms during dehydration due to salt hydrolysis. Over a wide range of temperatures (320–700°C) and ramp rates (5, 10, and 20°C min^-1), HCl formation was no more than 0.6% of the Cl^- in the original salt.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1961410
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-22-67177-Rev000
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 20; ISSN 1738-1894
• Publisher: Korean Radioactive Waste Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
pyroprocessing
salt waste
zeolite