Electrolytic Reduction of Spent Nuclear Oxide Fuel -- Effects of Fuel Form and Cathode Containment Materials on Bench-Scale Operations
A collaborative effort between the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is underway per an International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative to advance the development of a pyrochemical process for the treatment of spent nuclear oxide fuel. To assess the effects of specific process parameters that differ between oxide reduction operations at INL and KAERI, a series of 4 electrolytic reduction runs will be performed with a single salt loading of LiCl-Li2O at 650 °C using a test apparatus located inside of a hot cell at INL. The spent oxide fuel for the tests will be irradiated UO2 that has been subjected to a voloxidation process to form U3O8. The primary variables in the 4 electrolytic reduction runs will be fuel basket containment material and Li2O concentration in the LiCl salt. All 4 runs will be performed with comparable fuel loadings (approximately 50 g) and fuel compositions and will utilize a platinum anode and a Ni/NiO reference electrode. The first 2 runs will elucidate the effect of fuel form on the electrolytic reduction process by comparison of the above test results with U3O8 versus results from previous tests with UO2. The first 3 runs will investigate the impact that the cathode containment material has on the electrolytic reduction of spent oxide fuel. The 3rd and 4th runs will investigate the effect of Li2O concentration on the reduction process with a porous MgO cathode containment.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-99ID-13727
- OSTI ID:
- 918184
- Report Number(s):
- INL/CON-07-12182; TRN: US0805262
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Global 2007: Advanced Nuclear Fuels Cycles and Systems,Boise, ID,09/09/2007,09/13/2007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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