Investigation of a hydrazine-free, electrochemical reduction of Pu(IV) in the Purex process

Technical Report · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7777272· OSTI ID:7777272

Heilgeist, M.; Flory, K.; Galla, U.; Schieder, H.

In the Purex process for reprocessing spent fuel elements, separation of uranium and plutonium is attained through a valency adjustment of Pu(III). This report describes the use of electrochemical methods in the absence of hydrazine for the adjustment of Pu(III), in place of nitrous oxide itself (or nitric oxide) as a reducing agent. This was tried at low acid concentrations in which nitrous acid no longer functions oxidatively. The following factors and effects were investigated: nitric acid concentration, current density, temperature, uranium content, surface area of electrodes, and the effect of very low hydrazine concentrations. In addition, the reoxidation properties of completely reduced Pu(III)-containing solutions were investigated. Results of laboratory experiments on purely aqueous systems were compared with those from TBP/dodecane/HNO/sub 3/ systems in a pulse column. Information gained from laboratory experiments on U/Pu separation in the absence of hydrazine was confirmed in pulse-column experiments.

• Research Organization: Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe G.m.b.H. (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Heisse Chemie
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 7777272
• Report Number(s): ORNL/tr-88/24; KfK-4208; ON: DE88017048
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date Dec 1987; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products; Related Information: Translated from the German report KfK 4208 (PWA 31/87)
• Country of Publication: Germany
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
HYDRAZINE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROUS ACID
PLUTONIUM
REDUCTION
REDUCING AGENTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTROLYSIS
OXIDATION
PH VALUE
PUREX PROCESS
REDOX REACTIONS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
URANIUM
UREA
VALENCE
ACTINIDES
AMIDES
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
KINETICS
LYSIS
METALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
400400 - Electrochemistry
400201 - Chemical & Physicochemical Properties