The thermodynamics of pyrochemical processes for liquid metal reactor fuel cycles

Conference · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5490135

Johnson, I

The thermodynamic basis for pyrochemical processes for the recovery and purification of fuel for the liquid metal reactor fuel cycle is described. These processes involve the transport of the uranium and plutonium from one liquid alloy to another through a molten salt. The processes discussed use liquid alloys of cadmium, zinc, and magnesium and molten chloride salts. The oxidation-reduction steps are done either chemically by the use of an auxiliary redox couple or electrochemically by the use of an external electrical supply. The same basic thermodynamics apply to both the salt transport and the electrotransport processes. Large deviations from ideal solution behavior of the actinides and lanthanides in the liquid alloys have a major influence on the solubilities and the performance of both the salt transport and electrotransport processes. Separation of plutonium and uranium from each other and decontamination from the more noble fission product elements can be achieved using both transport processes. The thermodynamic analysis is used to make process design computations for different process conditions.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5490135
• Report Number(s): CONF-8706258-2; ON: DE88003073
• Resource Relation: Conference: US/Japan seminar on high-temperature chemistry of current light water reactors of advanced all-metal reactors, Tokyo, Japan, 6 Jun 1987; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
FUEL CYCLE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PLUTONIUM
PYROCHEMICAL REPROCESSING
THERMODYNAMICS
TRANSPORT
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
BREEDER REACTORS
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
METALS
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
210500* - Power Reactors
Breeding