Electrorefining process and apparatus for recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels

Patent · Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6348704

Ackerman, J. P.; Miller, W. E.

An electrorefining process and apparatus for the recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuels is disclosed using an electrolytic cell having a lower molten cadmium pool containing spent nuclear fuel, an intermediate electrolyte pool, an anode basket containing spent fuels, two cathodes and electrical power means connected to the anode basket, cathodes and lower molten cadmium pool for providing electrical power to the cell. Using this cell, additional amounts of uranium and plutonium from the anode basket are dissolved in the lower molten cadmium pool, and then purified uranium is electrolytically transported and deposited on a first molten cadmium cathode. Subsequently, a mixture of uranium and plutonium is electrotransported and deposited on a second cathode. 3 figs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): PATENTS-US-A7117880
• Application Number: ON: DE89010948
• OSTI ID: 6348704
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
DESIGN
SPENT FUELS
ELECTROREFINING
CADMIUM
CATHODES
DEPOSITION
ELECTROLYTIC CELLS
INVENTIONS
PLUTONIUM
SOLUBILITY
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
LYSIS
MATERIALS
METALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PROCESSING
REACTOR MATERIALS
REFINING
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing