Recovery of UO[sub 2]/PuO[sub 2] in IFR electrorefining process
A process is described for converting PuO[sub 2] and UO[sub 2] present in an electrorefiner to the chlorides, by contacting the PuO[sub 2] and UO[sub 2] with Li metal in the presence of an alkali metal chloride salt substantially free of rare earth and actinide chlorides for a time and at a temperature sufficient to convert the UO[sub 2] and PuO[sub 2] to metals while converting Li metal to Li[sub 2]O. Li[sub 2]O is removed either by reducing with rare earth metals or by providing an oxygen electrode for transporting O[sub 2] out of the electrorefiner and a cathode, and thereafter applying an emf to the electrorefiner electrodes sufficient to cause the Li[sub 2]O to disassociate to O[sub 2] and Li metal but insufficient to decompose the alkali metal chloride salt. The U and Pu and excess lithium are then converted to chlorides by reaction with CdCl[sub 2].
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5356605; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-967652
- OSTI ID:
- 6898492
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METALS
CADMIUM CHLORIDES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM HALIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINATION
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROREFINING
ELEMENTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENATION
LITHIUM
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM OXIDES
LYSIS
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM CHLORIDES
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PROCESSING
REDUCTION
REFINING
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM CHLORIDES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES