Electrorefining Bismuth Using AC Superimposed DC Waveforms
- Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT (United States)
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Bismuth has been successfully electrorefined using both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) superimposed DC waveforms on a kilogram scale at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Finding a suitable surrogate for Pu Electrorefining has always been a technical challenge. This work allows the possibility to improve Pu electrorefining with nonradioactive material at universities, which greatly reduces the cost at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for improving Pu Electrorefining. Several possible surrogates (Ce, In, Sn, Zn, and Bi) were selected based on their ability to mimic the Pu electrorefining process. Ce and In electrorefining experiments were conducted at the same temperature as Pu electrorefining in CaCl2 while Sn, Zn, and Bi, electrorefining experiments were conducted at a lower temperature in a eutectic molten salt composed of LiCl, KCl, and CaCl2. The electrorefining experiments using Ce with a Ga impurity did not produce a cathode ring. While the remaining Ce anode after electrorefining was significantly less than what was initially added, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX) analysis showed that the Ce had been oxidized and formed a colloid with the surrounding molten salt. This is supported in the literature by analysis of Ce-rich CaCl2 mixtures. All the electrorefining experiments except for the Ce electrorefining experiments did not introduce an impurity to the system. Electrorefining experiments with In showed that the InCl3 volatilized out of the molten salt to an extent that only a low current (<<1 A) could be supported without decomposing the molten salt. Zn electrorefining experiments had marginal success, however an easily separable product was not formed. The Zn had to be rinsed from the salt after the experiment. Of the identified potential surrogates. Investigated, only Bi and Sn yielded an easily separable product ring, which enables quantitative analysis of yields and coulombic efficiencies. Bismuth was first identified as a surrogate at BYU, while Sn was identified as a surrogate at LLNL later. Thus, the electrorefining experiments conducted at BYU using AC superimposed DC waveforms used Bi as the metal to be electrorefined.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- OSTI ID:
- 1987609
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-SR-850866; 1073438
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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