Recovery of transplutonium elements from nuclear reactor waste

Patent · Tue May 24 00:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:862837

Campbell, David O ^[1]; Buxton, Samuel R ^[2]

---

1. Oak Ridge, TN
2. Wartburg, TN

A method of separating actinide values from nitric acid waste solutions resulting from reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels comprises oxalate precipitation of the major portion of actinide and lanthanide values to provide a trivalent fraction suitable for subsequent actinide/lanthanide partition, exchange of actinide and lanthanide values in the supernate onto a suitable cation exchange resin to provide an intermediate-lived raffinate waste stream substantially free of actinides, and elution of the actinide values from the exchange resin. The eluate is then used to dissolve the trivalent oxalate fraction prior to actinide/lanthanide partition or may be combined with the reprocessing waste stream and recycled.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4025602
• OSTI ID: 862837
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

recovery
transplutonium
elements
nuclear
reactor
waste
method
separating
actinide
values
nitric
acid
solutions
resulting
reprocessing
irradiated
fuels
comprises
oxalate
precipitation
major
portion
lanthanide
provide
trivalent
fraction
suitable
subsequent
partition
exchange
supernate
cation
resin
intermediate-lived
raffinate
stream
substantially
free
actinides
elution
eluate
dissolve
prior
combined
recycled
reprocessing waste
acid waste
lanthanide values
nuclear fuels
actinide values
irradiated nuclear
cation exchange
substantially free
waste stream
exchange resin
nitric acid
nuclear fuel
nuclear reactor
waste solutions
major portion
waste solution
reactor waste
solutions resulting
separating actinide
transplutonium element
processing waste
/423/976/