TOWARDS A DIAMEX PROCESS FLOWSHEET USING HIGH ACTIVE CONCENTRATE (HAC)
The efficiency of MA recovery in the DIAMEX process has already been demonstrated using HAR. The next step aims at the demonstration of reprocessing from HAC as feed, in view of an industrial application. The volume reduction would reduce the size of the installation and thereby the costs of the process. The first step towards the demonstration of a DIAMEX process using HAC is the production of the genuine solutions. In ITU about 9 L HAR raffinate has been prepared, from PUREX reprocessing of 1.4 kg of MOX fuel, and characterised in order to produce HAC for the upcoming extraction tests. For this purpose, the HAR is subjected to a concentration/denitration process to obtain HAC with a final acidity compatible with the DIAMEX operating conditions, i.e. around 3 M HNO3. This process has been tested and optimised using HAR-simulate. Promising results were found for concentration factors (CF) of 6 to 8. At CF of 39 a significant co-precipitation of lanthanides occurred.
Towards a DIAMEX process using high active concentrate. Production of genuine solutions
Summary The efficiency of Minor Actinides (MA) recovery in the DIAMEX process has already been demonstrated using High Active Raffinate (HAR). The next step aims at the demonstration of reprocessing from High Active Concentrate (HAC) as feed, in view of an industrial application. The volume reduction would reduce the size of the installation to be used and thereby the costs of the process. The first step towards the demonstration of a DIAMEX process using HAC is the production of the genuine solutions. In the hot cell facility of ITU (Institute for Transuranium Elements), a HAR solution has been prepared, from small scale PUREX reprocessing of MOX fuel, and successfully subjected to a concentration/denitration process to obtain HAC. A final concentration factor (CF) of about 10 and an acidity of 4 M were reached. In the experiment a precipitate mainly composed of Sr, Zr, Mo, Sn and Ba was formed. MA precipitation was not significant (< 0.001%).
THE TRUEX PROCESS - A PROCESS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF THE TKANSURANIC ELEMENTS EROM NITRIC AC In WASTES UTILIZING MODIFIED PUREX SOLVENT*
ABSTRACT A generic transurantc (TRU) element extraction/recovery process was developed based on the use of octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diiso-butylcarbamoylmetliylphosphine oxide, 0φD(iB)CMPO, dissolved in PUREX process solvent (tribntyl phosphate, TBP, in normal paraffluic hydrocarbon, NPH). The process (called TRUEX) is capable of reducing the TRU concentration by many orders of magnitude In waste solutions containing a wide range of nitric acid, salt, and fission product concentrations. A major feature of the process is that it is readily adaptable for waste processing in existing fuel reprocessing facilities.