Analysis of undissolved anode materials of Mark-IV electrorefiner

Journal Article · 10 August 2018 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.08.022 · OSTI ID:1561224

Yoo, Tae-Sic  ^[1]; Vaden, DeeEarl ^[1]; Fredrickson, Guy L.  ^[1]; Westphal, Brian R.  ^[1]

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1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

The Mark-IV electrorefiner contains a molten-salt/molten-cadmium system for electrorefining uranium. The anode basket is loaded with chopped sodium-bonded metallic driver fuel. For the present investigation, the bulk of the fuel was U-10Zr binary alloy. The undissolved anode materials after electrorefining are sampled for chemical analysis. The estimation of the undissolved anode materials based on individual chemical analysis results are challenging due to inherently high sampling errors associated with heterogeneous undissolved material compositions. Investigation of chemical analysis data as a whole reveals noticeable trends in the compositions of the primary phases and materials. Based upon this observation, we propose a methodology for accounting the primary phases relying on the measurement of the total anode mass only. Furthermore, the methodology is based on an empirical model explaining the mass of the undissolved anode materials constructed from historical anode material analysis data.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1561224
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 22752265; OSTI ID: 1698080
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-18-45044-Rev000
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Issue: C Vol. 510; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English