Process and apparatus for recovery of fissionable materials from spent reactor fuel by anodic dissolution

Patent Application · Fri Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:6020891

Tomczuk, Z; Miller, W E; Wolson, R D; Gay, E C

An electrochemical process and apparatus for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from spent metal clad fuel pins is disclosed. The process uses secondary reactions between U{sup +4} cations and elemental uranium at the anode to increase reaction rates and improve anodic efficiency compared to prior art processes. In another embodiment of the process, secondary reactions between Cd{sup +2} cations and elemental uranium to form uranium cations and elemental cadmium also assists in oxidizing the uranium at the anode. 5 figs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): PATENTS-US-A7398578
• Application Number: ON: DE91011620; PPN: US 7-398578
• OSTI ID: 6020891
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
PLUTONIUM
MATERIALS RECOVERY
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
URANIUM
ANODES
CADMIUM IONS
CATIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTROLYTES
FUEL PINS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
INVENTIONS
IRON
LOADING
MOLYBDENUM
OXIDATION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS
SALTS
SECONDARY REACTIONS
STAINLESS STEELS
ACTINIDES
ALLOYS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HIGH ALLOY STEELS
IONS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATERIALS HANDLING
METALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
RECOVERY
STEELS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing
220300 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Fuel Elements
400400 - Electrochemistry