Electrolytic recovery of reactor metal fuel
Abstract
A new electrolytic process and apparatus are provided using sodium, cerium or a similar metal in alloy or within a sodium beta or beta"-alumina sodium ion conductor to electrolytically displace each of the spent fuel metals except for cesium and strontium on a selective basis from the electrolyte to an inert metal cathode. Each of the metals can be deposited separately. An electrolytic transfer of spent fuel into the electrolyte includes a sodium or cerium salt in the electrolyte with sodium or cerium alloy being deposited on the cathode during the transfer of the metals from the spent fuel. The cathode with the deposit of sodium or cerium alloy is then chanted to an anode and the reverse transfer is carried out on a selective basis with each metal being deposited separately at the cathode. The result is that the sodium or cerium needed for the process is regenerated in the first step and no additional source of these reactants is required.
- Inventors:
-
- Naperville, IL
- Lockport, IL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 869503
- Patent Number(s):
- 5348626
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C25 - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES C25C - PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- electrolytic; recovery; reactor; metal; fuel; process; apparatus; provided; sodium; cerium; similar; alloy; beta; -alumina; conductor; electrolytically; displace; spent; metals; cesium; strontium; selective; basis; electrolyte; inert; cathode; deposited; separately; transfer; salt; deposit; chanted; anode; reverse; carried; result; regenerated; step; additional; source; reactants; required; electrolytic process; spent fuel; metal cathode; -alumina sodium; inert metal; reactor metal; metal fuel; electrolytic recovery; similar metal; /205/
Citation Formats
Miller, William E, and Tomczuk, Zygmunt. Electrolytic recovery of reactor metal fuel. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Miller, William E, & Tomczuk, Zygmunt. Electrolytic recovery of reactor metal fuel. United States.
Miller, William E, and Tomczuk, Zygmunt. Sat .
"Electrolytic recovery of reactor metal fuel". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869503.
@article{osti_869503,
title = {Electrolytic recovery of reactor metal fuel},
author = {Miller, William E and Tomczuk, Zygmunt},
abstractNote = {A new electrolytic process and apparatus are provided using sodium, cerium or a similar metal in alloy or within a sodium beta or beta"-alumina sodium ion conductor to electrolytically displace each of the spent fuel metals except for cesium and strontium on a selective basis from the electrolyte to an inert metal cathode. Each of the metals can be deposited separately. An electrolytic transfer of spent fuel into the electrolyte includes a sodium or cerium salt in the electrolyte with sodium or cerium alloy being deposited on the cathode during the transfer of the metals from the spent fuel. The cathode with the deposit of sodium or cerium alloy is then chanted to an anode and the reverse transfer is carried out on a selective basis with each metal being deposited separately at the cathode. The result is that the sodium or cerium needed for the process is regenerated in the first step and no additional source of these reactants is required.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}