Magnesium transport extraction of transuranium elements from LWR fuel

Patent · Tue Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:7190236

Ackerman, J P; Battles, J E; Johnson, T R; Miller, W E; Pierce, R D

This patent describes a process of separating transuranium actinide values from uranium values present in spent nuclear oxide fuel containing rare earth and noble metal fission products as well as fission products of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and iodine. It comprises reducing the oxide fuel with Ca metal in the presence of Ca halide; separating the Ca halide with the CaO and the fission products contained therein from the U-Fe alloy and the metal values dissolved therein and electrolytically contacting the calcium salts with a carbon electrode; contacting the liquid U-Fe alloy having dissolved therein reduced metals from the spent nuclear fuel with liquid Mg metal, thereafter separating the liquid Mg and the metals dissolved therein from the U-Fe alloy and the metal dissolved therein, distilling the Mg from the transuranium actinide and rare earth metals, recontacting the U-Fe alloy with liquid Mg metal a sufficient number of times until not less than about 99% by weight of the transuranium actinide values have been removed from the U-Fe alloy.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Patent Number(s): A; US 5147616
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-770387
• OSTI ID: 7190236
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ACTINIDES
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
FUELS
ISOTOPES
KINETICS
MATERIALS
METALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
REACTION KINETICS
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPENT FUELS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM ALLOYS