Solvent-extraction purification of neptunium

Conference · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2008

OSTI ID:21230370

Kyser, E A ^[1]; Hudlow, S L ^[2]

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1. Savannah River National Laboratory, Actinide and Chemical Technology Section, 773-A Aiken, SC 29808 (United States)
2. H Canyon Engineering, 221-H, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States)

The Savannah River Site (SRS) has recovered {sup 237}Np from reactor fuel that is currently being processed into NpO{sub 2} for future production of {sup 238}Pu. Several purification flowsheets have been utilized. An oxidizing solvent-extraction (SX) flowsheet was used to remove Fe, sulfate ion, and Th while simultaneously {sup 237}Np, {sup 238}Pu, u, and nonradioactive Ce(IV) was extracted into the tributyl phosphate (TBP) based organic solvent. A reducing SX flowsheet (second pass) removed the Ce and Pu and recovered both Np and U. The oxidizing flowsheet was necessary for solutions that contained excessive amounts of sulfate ion. Anion exchange was used to perform final purification of Np from Pu, U, and various non-actinide impurities. The Np(IV) in the purified solution was then oxalate-precipitated and calcined to an oxide for shipment to other facilities for storage and future target fabrication. Performance details of the SX purification and process difficulties are discussed. (authors)

• Research Organization: Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (United States)
• OSTI ID: 21230370
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
FABRICATION
FLOWSHEETS
ION EXCHANGE
NEPTUNIUM
NEPTUNIUM 237
NEPTUNIUM OXIDES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NUCLEAR FUELS
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
OXALATES
PERFORMANCE
PLUTONIUM 238
PURIFICATION
SAVANNAH RIVER
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SULFATES
TBP