Process to remove rare earth from IFR electrolyte

Patent · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:869436

Ackerman, John P ^[1]; Johnson, Terry R ^[2]

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1. Downers Grove, IL
2. Wheaton, IL

The invention is a process for the removal of rare earths from molten chloride electrolyte salts used in the reprocessing of integrated fast reactor fuel (IFR). The process can be used either continuously during normal operation of the electrorefiner or as a batch process. The process consists of first separating the actinide values from the salt before purification by removal of the rare earths. After replacement of the actinides removed in the first step, the now-purified salt electrolyte has the same uranium and plutonium concentration and ratio as when the salt was removed from the electrorefiner.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5336450
• OSTI ID: 869436
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/423/588/
actinide
actinide values
actinides
batch
batch process
chloride
chloride electrolyte
concentration
consists
continuously
earth
earths
electrolyte
electrolyte salt
electrolyte salts
electrorefiner
fast
fast reactor
fuel
ifr
integrated
molten
molten chloride
normal
normal operation
now-purified
operation
plutonium
process
process consists
purification
rare
rare earth
rare earths
ratio
reactor
reactor fuel
removal
remove
removed
replacement
reprocessing
salt
salt electrolyte
salts
separating
step
uranium
values