TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON TBP SOLVENT EXTRACTION PROCESSES

Technical Report · Fri Oct 31 00:00:00 EST 1958

OSTI ID:4307619

Karraker, D G

T8P extracts uranium (VI) and plutonium (IV) well, and most of the fission products poorly. Ruthenium, zirconium, and niobium are the most difficult fission products to separate, and the radioactivity of the end products is determined by the extent to which these fission products are eliminated. The general behavior of these fussion products indicates that slow changes amoung their species restrict their separation. An increase in temperature accelerates changes amoung these species, and results in an increased fission product seperation for TBP processes, A combination of adsorption processes for removal of residual fissionproducts with the improved, high temperature, Purex process achieves decontamination factors greater than 5 x 10/sup 6/ for the uranium product and greater than 5 x 10/sup 7/ for the plutonium product. This performance equal the decontamination achieved in the normal Purex process s), with a considerable reduction in the required equipment. The decontamination of both cycles of the 25 process was improved by operation at 70 deg C. The ruthenium decontamination of the first cycle was a factor of 100 greater at 70 deg C than at 30 deg C, and the decontamination for zirconium-niobium (combined) was improved by a factor of ten. The improvement in ths second cycle decontami- nation varied with first cycle performance, and apparctivity present in the feed. Samples of the organic phase from the extractionscrub contactor of the first cycle showed that the same amount of activity was extracted at both temperatures; but the extracted activity was removed much faster at higher temperatures. The radiolysis of TBP by the radioactivity of the feed solution was observed in experimental work on the 25 process. The results indicated that the radiolytic product, dibutylphosphate, impairs decontamination. These resultss were obtained with miniature solvent extraction equipmemt operated continuously for extended periods, and processing feed solutions prepared from irradiated material. (auth)

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) & Co. Savannah River Lab., Augusta, Ga.
• NSA Number: NSA-12-014686
• OSTI ID: 4307619
• Report Number(s): A/CONF.15/P/519
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Prepared for the Second U.N. International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, 1958. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-58
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
ADSORPTION
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
EFFICIENCY
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
FISSION PRODUCTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IRRADIATION
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PUREX PROCESS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOCHEMISTRY
RADIOLYSIS
RUTHENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
TEMPERATURE
TESTING
TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE SOLUTIONS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS