Advanced electrorefiner design

Miller, W E; Gay, E C; Tomczuk, Z

Title: Advanced electrorefiner design

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Abstract

A combination anode and cathode is described for an electrorefiner which includes a hollow cathode and an anode positioned inside the hollow cathode such that a portion of the anode is near the cathode. A retaining member is positioned at the bottom of the cathode. Mechanism is included for providing relative movement between the anode and the cathode during deposition of metal on the inside surface of the cathode during operation of the electrorefiner to refine spent nuclear fuel. A method is also disclosed which includes electrical power means selectively connectable to the anode and the hollow cathode for providing electrical power to the cell components, electrically transferring uranium values and plutonium values from the anode to the electrolyte, and electrolytically depositing substantially pure uranium on the hollow cathode. Uranium and plutonium are deposited at a liquid cathode together after the PuCl{sub 3} to UCl{sub 3} ratio is greater than 2:1. Slots in the hollow cathode provides close anode access for the liquid pool in the liquid cathode. 6 figs.

Inventors:: Miller, W E; Gay, E C; Tomczuk, Z

Issue Date:: 1996-07-02

Research Org.:: Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 253867

Patent Number(s):: 5531868

Application Number:: PAN: 8-267,949; TRN: 96:015249

Assignee:: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)

DOE Contract Number:: W-31109-ENG-38

Resource Type:: Patent

Resource Relation:: Other Information: PBD: 2 Jul 1996

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 05 NUCLEAR FUELS; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; SPENT FUELS; ELECTROREFINING; ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS; DESIGN; URANIUM; ELECTRODEPOSITION; PLUTONIUM; ELECTRODES; PLUTONIUM CHLORIDES; URANIUM CHLORIDES

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                    Miller, W E, Gay, E C, and Tomczuk, Z. Advanced electrorefiner design.  United States: N. p., 1996. 
        Web.

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                    Miller, W E, Gay, E C, & Tomczuk, Z. Advanced electrorefiner design.  United States.

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                    Miller, W E, Gay, E C, and Tomczuk, Z. Tue .  
        "Advanced electrorefiner design".  United States.

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@article{osti_253867,

  title        = {Advanced electrorefiner design},

  author       = {Miller, W E and Gay, E C and Tomczuk, Z},

  abstractNote = {A combination anode and cathode is described for an electrorefiner which includes a hollow cathode and an anode positioned inside the hollow cathode such that a portion of the anode is near the cathode. A retaining member is positioned at the bottom of the cathode. Mechanism is included for providing relative movement between the anode and the cathode during deposition of metal on the inside surface of the cathode during operation of the electrorefiner to refine spent nuclear fuel. A method is also disclosed which includes electrical power means selectively connectable to the anode and the hollow cathode for providing electrical power to the cell components, electrically transferring uranium values and plutonium values from the anode to the electrolyte, and electrolytically depositing substantially pure uranium on the hollow cathode. Uranium and plutonium are deposited at a liquid cathode together after the PuCl{sub 3} to UCl{sub 3} ratio is greater than 2:1. Slots in the hollow cathode provides close anode access for the liquid pool in the liquid cathode. 6 figs.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1996},

  month        = {7}

}

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