FISSION PRODUCT RECOVERY FROM CHEMICAL PROCESSING PLANT WASTE SOLUTIONS

Technical Report · Tue Feb 26 04:00:00 EST 1957

OSTI ID:4330944

Barton, G B; Hepworth, J L; McClanahan, Jr, E D; Moore, R L; Van Tuyl, H H

A process is described for the recovery of potentially valuable long- lived fission product activities from the first cycle acidic waste solutions which result from the solvent extraction processing of nuclear reactor fuel elements. The metal ferricyanides and ferrocyanides were extensively investigated as scavenging agents for Cs/sup 137/, and the effects of process variables are reported. Cesium zinc ferrocyanide was found to be the most effective and is used for purposes of concentration and isolation. Subsequent chemical processing results in either a mixed chloride or pure cesium chloride product suitable for use in high intensity radiation sources. Cerium/sup 144/, rare earth, and Sr/sup 90/ activities are recovered by a series of process steps which depend on co-precipitation on ferric hydroxide and on the solubility behavior of the rare earth oxalates, of cerium(IV) iodate, and of strontium carbonate. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-52
• NSA Number: NSA-12-001291
• OSTI ID: 4330944
• Report Number(s): HW-48776 RD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACIDITY
CERIUM 144
CERIUM COMPOUNDS
CESIUM 137
CESIUM CHLORIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORIDES
CLEANING
CYANIDES
ENRICHMENT
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL ELEMENTS
IODIC ACID
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON HYDROXIDES
METALS
MINERAL ACIDS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
OXALATES
PRECIPITATION
RADIATION SOURCES
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBILITY
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
STRONTIUM 90
STRONTIUM CARBONATES
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE SOLUTIONS
ZINC COMPOUNDS