Recovery of UO.sub.2 /Pu O.sub.2 in IFR electrorefining process
US5356605A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC01G56/006
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for converting PuO.sub.2 and UO.sub.2 present in an electrorefiner to the chlorides, by contacting the PuO.sub.2 and UO.sub.2 with Li metal in the presence of an alkali metal chloride salt substantially free of rare earth and actinide chlorides for a time and at a temperature sufficient to convert the UO.sub.2 and PuO.sub.2 to metals while converting Li metal to Li.sub.2 O. Li.sub.2 O is removed either by reducing with rare earth metals or by providing an oxygen electrode for transporting O.sub.2 out of the electrorefiner and a cathode, and thereafter applying an emf to the electrorefiner electrodes sufficient to cause the Li.sub.2 O to disassociate to O.sub.2 and Li metal but insufficient to decompose the alkali metal chloride salt. The U and Pu and excess lithium are then converted to chlorides by reaction with CdCl.sub.2.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.