GB1031593A - Improvements in irradiated nuclear fuel reprocessing - Google Patents

Improvements in irradiated nuclear fuel reprocessing

Info

Publication number
GB1031593A
GB1031593A GB2518363A GB2518363A GB1031593A GB 1031593 A GB1031593 A GB 1031593A GB 2518363 A GB2518363 A GB 2518363A GB 2518363 A GB2518363 A GB 2518363A GB 1031593 A GB1031593 A GB 1031593A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
aqueous
column
solution
nitric acid
uranium
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB2518363A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Publication of GB1031593A publication Critical patent/GB1031593A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/42—Reprocessing of irradiated fuel
    • G21C19/44—Reprocessing of irradiated fuel of irradiated solid fuel
    • G21C19/46—Aqueous processes, e.g. by using organic extraction means, including the regeneration of these means
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01G—COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F
    • C01G43/00—Compounds of uranium
    • C01G43/04—Halides of uranium
    • C01G43/06—Fluorides
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B60/00—Obtaining metals of atomic number 87 or higher, i.e. radioactive metals
    • C22B60/02—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides
    • C22B60/0204—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium
    • C22B60/0217—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium by wet processes
    • C22B60/0252—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium by wet processes treatment or purification of solutions or of liquors or of slurries
    • C22B60/026—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium by wet processes treatment or purification of solutions or of liquors or of slurries liquid-liquid extraction with or without dissolution in organic solvents
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B60/00—Obtaining metals of atomic number 87 or higher, i.e. radioactive metals
    • C22B60/02—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides
    • C22B60/04—Obtaining plutonium
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
    • Y02P10/20—Recycling
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
    • Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
    • Y02W30/50—Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Extraction Or Liquid Replacement (AREA)
  • Inorganic Compounds Of Heavy Metals (AREA)

Abstract

An aqueous solution of irradiated nuclear fuel is subjected to a single cycle extraction with an organic solvent and then the organic phase is contacted with an aqueous extraction agent to produce an aqueous extract stream containing uranium and at least one of the fission products ruthenium, zirconium and niobium, the aqueous stream is dehydrated, the solid residue fluorinated, and uranium fluoride separated from fission product fluoride. In a process described with reference to a flow diagram, uranium dioxide fuel elements are dissolved in nitric acid and the solution is introduced at about the middle of an extraction column where it flows downwards in countercurrent with diethoxybutane or dimethoxypentane; a stripping nitric acid solution is fed into the top of the column. The organic solvent extracts uranium, plutonium, and some of the fission products specified above, leaving the rest of the fission products in the aqueous phase which is evaporated and calcined, nitric acid being recovered. The organic phase is contacted in a second column with a nitric acid solution containing ferrous iron, which reduces and extracts the plutonium. The organic phase from the second column contains uranium and the specified fission products, all of which are returned to aqueous solution by contact in a third column with very dilute nitric acid. The solvent from this column is purified by distillation and used again for extraction; the aqueous solution is evaporated, the residue calcined and treated with HF at 250-350 DEG C. and with F2 at 300-600 DEG C. to form volatile fluorides. The vapours are passed through a partial condenser and a separator, where fission product fluorides are removed, leaving a stream of pure UF6. Alternatively fluorination may take place with F2 alone, and separation of the fluorides may be effected by fractional distillation. In a modified process, the organic solvent is a solution of tributyl phosphate in kerosene, which is purified by extraction with aqueous sodium carbonate solution. Other organic solvents referred to are methyl isobutyl ketone, dibutyl carbitol, and amines.
GB2518363A 1962-07-26 1963-06-25 Improvements in irradiated nuclear fuel reprocessing Expired GB1031593A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US21276862A 1962-07-26 1962-07-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1031593A true GB1031593A (en) 1966-06-02

Family

ID=22792351

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2518363A Expired GB1031593A (en) 1962-07-26 1963-06-25 Improvements in irradiated nuclear fuel reprocessing

Country Status (5)

Country Link
CH (1) CH488250A (en)
DE (1) DE1184745B (en)
ES (1) ES289866A1 (en)
GB (1) GB1031593A (en)
NL (1) NL295851A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3511621A (en) * 1967-02-03 1970-05-12 Japan Atomic Energy Res Inst Process for recovering uranium as uranium dioxide

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112614604B (en) * 2020-11-26 2022-10-21 中国辐射防护研究院 Pulse extraction column organic phase ignition accident source item estimation method

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3511621A (en) * 1967-02-03 1970-05-12 Japan Atomic Energy Res Inst Process for recovering uranium as uranium dioxide

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL295851A (en) 1900-01-01
DE1184745B (en) 1965-01-07
CH488250A (en) 1970-03-31
ES289866A1 (en) 1963-12-01

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