Molten salt assisted electrochemical separation of spent fuel surrogates by partial direct reduction and selective anodic dissolution

A. Stevenson, D. Hu, G. Z. Chen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Pyrometallurgical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels has experienced growing interest in recent years as it presents a desirable and proliferation resistant separation process capable of significantly reducing volumes of high level waste (HLW). Additionally, the use of molten salts in pyro-reprocessing is seen as forward compatible with the new GEN IV fast neutron nuclear reactors. In this work, the ability to selectively partition spent fuel surrogate species in solid phase by molten salt electrochemistry was assessed in a proof of concept experiment by the use of the 2NiO-CeO2 binary. In a three electrode cell using potentiostatic electrolysis it was found that close to 80% of the Ni presence in the surface of the precursor was removed following a partial direct reduction of NiO by the FFC Cambridge Process, followed by anodic dissolution to remove the metallic Ni phase. The mixture of more analogous electrochemical surrogates ZrO2 and CeO2 to that of UO2 and PuO2 were then assessed to further confirm the application of this novel recycling technology.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMolten Salts and Ionic Liquids 19
EditorsHugh C. De Long, W. Matthew Reichert, Paul C. Trulove, Luke M. Haverhals, Minoru Mizuhata, Robert A. Mantz, Adriana Ispas, Andreas Bund
PublisherElectrochemical Society Inc.
Pages333-350
Number of pages18
Edition4
ISBN (Electronic)9781623321819
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014
Event19th International Symposium on Molten Salts and Ionic Liquids, MS and IL 2014, part of the Joint Meeting of the 226th ECS Meeting and 29th SMEQ Meeting - Cancun, Mexico
Duration: 5 Oct 20149 Oct 2014

Publication series

NameECS Transactions
Number4
Volume64
ISSN (Print)1938-5862
ISSN (Electronic)1938-6737

Conference

Conference19th International Symposium on Molten Salts and Ionic Liquids, MS and IL 2014, part of the Joint Meeting of the 226th ECS Meeting and 29th SMEQ Meeting
Country/TerritoryMexico
CityCancun
Period5/10/149/10/14

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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