Electrorefining process and apparatus

Patent · Mon Nov 13 23:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6843034

Ackerman, J P; Miller, W E

The patent describes an electrorefining process and apparatus for the recovery of uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium from spent fuel using an electrolytic cell having a lower molten cadmium pool containing spent nuclear fuel, an intermediate electrolyte pool, an anode basket containing spent fuel, and two cathodes, the first cathode composed of either a solid alloy or molten cadmium and the second cathode composed of molten cadmium. Using this cell, additional amounts of uranium and plutonium from the anode basket are dissolved in the lower molten cadmium pool, and then substantially pure uranium is electrolytically transported and deposited on the first alloy or molten cadmium cathode. Subsequently, a mixture of uranium and plutonium is electrotransported and deposited on the second molten cadmium cathode.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, D.C.
• Patent Number(s): US 4880506; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-117880A
• OSTI ID: 6843034
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400400 -- Electrochemistry
ACTINIDES
CADMIUM
CATHODES
CHEMISTRY
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROLYTES
ELECTROREFINING
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
LYSIS
MATERIALS
METALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PLUTONIUM
PROCESSING
REACTOR MATERIALS
RECOVERY
REFINING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPENT FUELS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM