Separation of Am-Cm from NaNO/sub 3/ waste solutions by in-canyon-tank precipitation as oxalates

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6040267· OSTI ID:6040267

Gray, L W; Burney, G A; Wilson, T W; McKibben, J M

A process for the purification of Am-Cm residues was developed specifically for application in Savannah River Plant (SRP) canyon tanks. These Am-Cm residues were collected from several campaigns to produce plutonium containing high isotopic concentrations of /sup 240/Pu. An initial purification from Al/sup 3 +/ had already been accomplished by a solvent extraction process. The product of this process was contaminated with NaNO/sub 3/ as a result of entrainment of the solvent extraction NaNO/sub 3/ scrub solution. To produce an acceptable feed solution for a later pressurized cation exchange chromatography separation and purification step, the bulk of the NaNO/sub 3/ must be removed. This purification process includes formic acid denitration, adjustment of contaminating cations by evaporation and water dilution, and oxalate precipitation of the actinides and lanthanides.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• OSTI ID: 6040267
• Report Number(s): DP-1539; ON: DE82001327
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105 -- Separation Procedures
ACTINIDES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AMERICIUM
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CERIUM
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DENITRATION
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
FLOWSHEETS
FORMIC ACID
METALS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXALATES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRECIPITATION
RARE EARTHS
RESIDUES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM NITRATES
TRANSPLUTONIUM ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS