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Solvent extraction studies of coprocessing flowsheets: results from Campaign 5 of the Solvent Extraction Test Facility (SETF)

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/705346· OSTI ID:705346

In Campaign 5, fast breeder reactor (FBR) fuel [average burnup {similar_to}2.6 TJ/kg ({similar_to}30,000 MWd/t)] was processed for the first time. Operations in a single extraction cycle with 30% TBP-NPH were satisfactory with low heavy-metal losses (< 0.02%) and high decontamination factors (DFs > 1000) for all fission products except {sup 95}Zr, which exhibited moderate DFs (180 and 750, respectively, in two runs). The use of a split scrub stream (0.5 M and 3 M HNO{sub 3}) vs a single scrub stream (3 M HNO{sub 3}) resulted in the higher DF. An extractant backscrubbing stream was not needed to produce partially partitioned uranium-plutonium products containing 30 to 35% plutonium when processing the core FBR fuel (22% Pu). The necessary enrichment factor ({similar_to}1.5) was attained by maintaining the temperature at 25 to 30{sup 0}C in partial partitioning and adjusting the relative flow rates of the aqueous and organic phases. The plutonium recovery in the two runs ({similar_to}400 g) was purified by anion exchange and converted to PuO{sub 2} for fuel refabrication studies. 8 references, 7 figures, 6 tables.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
705346
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM--8598; ON: TI84025523
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English