Partitioning of minor actinides from HLLW using the DIAMEX process. Part 2 - ´´Hot´´ continuous counter-current experiment
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R. Malmbeck
Among several processes proposed world-wide, the French DIAMEX (DIAMide EXtraction) process seems to be very efficient for the removal of Minor Actinides (MA) from genuine High Level Liquid Waste (HLLW). The MA are in this process directly extracted from the PUREX (Plutonium Uranium Redox EXtraction) raffinate together with fission lanthanides using the completely combustible diamide extractant. In this work a hot demonstration of the DIAMEX process using genuine high-level PUREX raffinate is reported. The continuous counter-current experiment was carried out in a 16 stage centrifugal extractor battery, installed in a hot cell. In order to produce a representative HLLW a PUREX process was applied on dissolved fuel using the same equipment. In the DIAMEX process up to 6 extraction stages were sufficient to achieve feed decontamination factors between 100 and 230 for lanthanides and above 300 for minor actinides. Co-extraction of molybdenum and zirconium were efficiently prevented using oxalic acid scrubbing. The back extraction proved to be very efficient, yielding in 4 stages more than 99.9% recovery of both the lanthanides and the actinides. Co-extracted ruthenium, technetium, palladium and neptunium are less efficiently back-extracted requiring further process development.
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- Partitioning of minor actinides from HLLW using the DIAMEX process. Part 1 - Demonstration of extraction performances and hydraulic behaviour of the solvent in a continuous process
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Articles in the same Issue
- Cross sections for the formation of long-lived radionuclides 10Be, 26Al and 36Cl in 14.6 MeV neutron induced reactions determined via accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)
- The ionic radii of Rf4+, Db5+ and Sg6+
- On-line gas chromatographic studies of Rf, Zr, and Hf bromides
- Effects of pH and uranium concentration on the removal of uranium from drinking water by ion exchange
- Complexation of thorium(IV) with desmethyldesferrithiocin
- Partitioning of minor actinides from HLLW using the DIAMEX process. Part 1 - Demonstration of extraction performances and hydraulic behaviour of the solvent in a continuous process
- Partitioning of minor actinides from HLLW using the DIAMEX process. Part 2 - ´´Hot´´ continuous counter-current experiment
- On-line gas-phase separation of short-lived bromine nuclides from precursor selenium
- Simulation of zeolite fixed bed columns used for treatment of liquid radioactive wastes
- Thermodynamics of strontium extraction using substituted crown ethers in mixtures of aliphatic alcohols
