PROCESS FOR SEPARATION OF PROTACTINIUM FROM A SOLUTION OF NEUTRON- IRRADIATED THORIUM
A process for the separation of protactinium-233, thorium, and uranium- 233 from neutron-irradiated thoriumnitric acid solution is presented. It comprises contacting feed solution with an extracting solution of a trialkyl phosphate in an inent organic diluent. thereby extracting uranium and thorium into the resulting organic phase while confining protactinium-233 and fission products to the resulting aqueous phase. Any small amounts of protactinium and fission products are scrubbed from resulting organic phase with a solution comprised of an aqueous solution of an inorganic nitrate salt, the total nitrate ion content of feed solution and scrubbing solution being less than the stoichiometric content required by the cations of solution and scrubbing solution, thereby providing a net nitrate ion deficiency for the combined extraction and scrubbing operation. The protactinium-233 and fission products- containing aqueous phase is then separated from the uranium-233 and thonium- conthining organic phase. (N.W.R.)
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-015691
- OSTI ID:
- 4034443
- Report Number(s):
- GB 865011
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
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