Plutonium recovery from spent reactor fuel by uranium displacement

Patent · Tue Mar 17 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7275815

Ackerman, J P

A process is described for separating uranium values and transuranic values from fission products containing rare earth values when the values are contained together in a molten chloride salt electrolyte. A molten chloride salt electrolyte with a first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is contacted with both a solid cathode and an anode having values of uranium and fission products including plutonium. A voltage is applied across the anode and cathode electrolytically to transfer uranium and plutonium from the anode to the electrolyte while uranium values in the electrolyte electrolytically deposit as uranium metal on the solid cathode in an amount equal to the uranium and plutonium transferred from the anode causing the electrolyte to have a second ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride. Then the solid cathode with the uranium metal deposited thereon is removed and molten cadmium having uranium dissolved therein is brought into contact with the electrolyte resulting in chemical transfer of plutonium values from the electrolyte to the molten cadmium and transfer of uranium values from the molten cadmium to the electrolyte until the first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is reestablished.

• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Patent Number(s): A; US 5096545
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-703641
• OSTI ID: 7275815
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDES
CONCENTRATION RATIO
DEPOSITION
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROPLATING
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METALS
MOLTEN SALTS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PLATING
PLUTONIUM
PROCESSING
REACTOR MATERIALS
REPROCESSING
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPENT FUELS
SURFACE COATING
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING