Electrorefiner system for recovering purified metal from impure nuclear feed material
Abstract
An electrorefiner system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention may include a vessel configured to maintain a molten salt electrolyte and configured to receive a plurality of alternately arranged cathode and anode assemblies. The anode assemblies are configured to hold an impure nuclear feed material. Upon application of the power system, the impure nuclear feed material is anodically dissolved and a purified metal is deposited on the cathode rods of the cathode assemblies. A scraper is configured to dislodge the purified metal deposited on the cathode rods. A conveyor system is disposed at a bottom of the vessel and configured to remove the dislodged purified metal from the vessel.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1222636
- Patent Number(s):
- 9150975
- Application Number:
- 13/335,082
- Assignee:
- GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (Wilmington, NC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C25 - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES C25C - PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2011 Dec 22
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
Citation Formats
Berger, John F., Williamson, Mark A., Wiedmeyer, Stanley G., Willit, James L., Barnes, Laurel A., and Blaskovitz, Robert J. Electrorefiner system for recovering purified metal from impure nuclear feed material. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web.
Berger, John F., Williamson, Mark A., Wiedmeyer, Stanley G., Willit, James L., Barnes, Laurel A., & Blaskovitz, Robert J. Electrorefiner system for recovering purified metal from impure nuclear feed material. United States.
Berger, John F., Williamson, Mark A., Wiedmeyer, Stanley G., Willit, James L., Barnes, Laurel A., and Blaskovitz, Robert J. Tue .
"Electrorefiner system for recovering purified metal from impure nuclear feed material". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1222636.
@article{osti_1222636,
title = {Electrorefiner system for recovering purified metal from impure nuclear feed material},
author = {Berger, John F. and Williamson, Mark A. and Wiedmeyer, Stanley G. and Willit, James L. and Barnes, Laurel A. and Blaskovitz, Robert J.},
abstractNote = {An electrorefiner system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention may include a vessel configured to maintain a molten salt electrolyte and configured to receive a plurality of alternately arranged cathode and anode assemblies. The anode assemblies are configured to hold an impure nuclear feed material. Upon application of the power system, the impure nuclear feed material is anodically dissolved and a purified metal is deposited on the cathode rods of the cathode assemblies. A scraper is configured to dislodge the purified metal deposited on the cathode rods. A conveyor system is disposed at a bottom of the vessel and configured to remove the dislodged purified metal from the vessel.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2015},
month = {10}
}
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