Destruction of emulsions stabilized by precipitates of zirconium and tributyl phosphate degradation products

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:7032536

Sugai, H ^[1]; Munakata, K ^[2]

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1. Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., Tokai Research Center, 2600, Ishigamitojuku, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki-ken 319-11 (JP)
2. Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd., Ichikawa, Chiba (Japan). Central Research Lab.

In solvent extraction for nuclear fuel reprocessing, a stable emulsion called crud is formed at the interface between the organic and aqueous phases. Crud is an emulsion stabilized by finely dispersed solids. Process disturbances are often induced by crud. Accordingly, crud should be eliminated from the interface in the extractors. The eliminated crud is stable and highly radioactive; thus, the treatment of this crud may be difficult. Complexes of zirconium and tributyl phosphate (TBP) degradation products, such as phosphoric acid (H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}) and mono-n-butyl phosphate (H{sub 2}MBP), are one source of the fine particles that stabilize emulsions in the extraction process. In this paper a chemical treatment method to demulsify crud stabilized by precipitates of Zr-H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} and Zr-H{sub 2}MBP is studied.

• OSTI ID: 7032536
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (United States) Vol. 99:2; ISSN NUTYB; ISSN 0029-5450
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COLLOIDS
COMPLEXES
DATA
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ESTERS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXTRACTION
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
FUELS
INFORMATION
KINETICS
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE STUDIES
PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS
REACTION KINETICS
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM CARBONATES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
TBP
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
ZIRCONIUM COMPLEXES