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Title: Supported liquid inorganic membranes for nuclear waste separation

Abstract

A system and method for the extraction of americium from radioactive waste solutions. The method includes the transfer of highly oxidized americium from an acidic aqueous feed solution through an immobilized liquid membrane to an organic receiving solvent, for example tributyl phosphate. The immobilized liquid membrane includes porous support and separating layers loaded with tributyl phosphate. The extracted solution is subsequently stripped of americium and recycled at the immobilized liquid membrane as neat tributyl phosphate for the continuous extraction of americium. The sequestered americium can be used as a nuclear fuel, a nuclear fuel component or a radiation source, and the remaining constituent elements in the aqueous feed solution can be stored in glassified waste forms substantially free of americium.

Inventors:
; ; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1177550
Patent Number(s):
8999168
Application Number:
13/284,174
Assignee:
UT-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21F - PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2011 Oct 28
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Citation Formats

Bhave, Ramesh R, DeBusk, Melanie M, DelCul, Guillermo D, Delmau, Laetitia H, and Narula, Chaitanya K. Supported liquid inorganic membranes for nuclear waste separation. United States: N. p., 2015. Web.
Bhave, Ramesh R, DeBusk, Melanie M, DelCul, Guillermo D, Delmau, Laetitia H, & Narula, Chaitanya K. Supported liquid inorganic membranes for nuclear waste separation. United States.
Bhave, Ramesh R, DeBusk, Melanie M, DelCul, Guillermo D, Delmau, Laetitia H, and Narula, Chaitanya K. Tue . "Supported liquid inorganic membranes for nuclear waste separation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1177550.
@article{osti_1177550,
title = {Supported liquid inorganic membranes for nuclear waste separation},
author = {Bhave, Ramesh R and DeBusk, Melanie M and DelCul, Guillermo D and Delmau, Laetitia H and Narula, Chaitanya K},
abstractNote = {A system and method for the extraction of americium from radioactive waste solutions. The method includes the transfer of highly oxidized americium from an acidic aqueous feed solution through an immobilized liquid membrane to an organic receiving solvent, for example tributyl phosphate. The immobilized liquid membrane includes porous support and separating layers loaded with tributyl phosphate. The extracted solution is subsequently stripped of americium and recycled at the immobilized liquid membrane as neat tributyl phosphate for the continuous extraction of americium. The sequestered americium can be used as a nuclear fuel, a nuclear fuel component or a radiation source, and the remaining constituent elements in the aqueous feed solution can be stored in glassified waste forms substantially free of americium.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 07 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Apr 07 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Ceramic filter and process for making it
patent, March 1992


Extracting metal ions with diphosphonic acid, or derivative thereof
patent, July 1994


Membrane extraction with thermodynamically unstable diphosphonic acid derivatives
patent, October 1997


Supported liquid membrane separation
patent, August 2000


Device for turning on light and illumination apparatus
patent, May 2003