Separation of actinides from irradiated An–Zr based fuel by electrorefining on solid aluminium cathodes in molten LiCl–KCl

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.12.103
• Publication Date: 2015-01-10T15:31:09Z
• Authors: P. Souček; T. Murakami; B. Claux; R. Meier; R. Malmbeck; T. Tsukada; J.-P. Glatz
• Keywords: Electrowinning; Refining (metallurgy); Separation process

An electrorefining process for metallic spent nuclear fuel treatment is being investigated in ITU. Solid aluminium cathodes are used homogeneous recovery of all actinides within the carried out molten LiCl–KCl eutectic salt at a temperature 500 °C. As selectivity, efficiency and performance solid Al has been already shown using un-irradiated An–Zr alloy based test fuels, present work was focused on laboratory-scale demonstration irradiated METAPHIX-1 composed U67–Pu19–Zr10–MA2–RE2 (wt.%, MA = Np, Am, Cm, RE Nd, Ce, Gd, Y). Different techniques, conditions cathode geometries were during experiment yielding evaluation separation factors, kinetic parameters actinide–aluminium formation, macro-structure characterisation deposits. The results confirmed an excellent very high cathodes.