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| Home > Publications database > Process development studies for the separation of trivalent actinides from used nuclear fuel solutions |
| Conference Presentation (Other) | FZJ-2022-03471 |
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2022
Abstract: For the future application of nuclear electricity production and improvements of sustainability, further advancements of the nuclear fuel cycle and innovative reactor concepts are considered.1 In Europe, several research projects were funded by the European Commission and the German government, addressing innovative hydrometallurgical processes for the separation of actinides from used nuclear fuel.2, 3 The objectives included the development of processes for the separation of the trivalent minor actinides (An(III)) americium and curium from a PUREX (Plutonium Uranium Reduc-tion Extraction) process raffinate. Due to the high radioactivity and share of spontaneous fission in the decay of curium isotopes, any fabrication of curium containing nuclear fuel would require special handling and a facility with high level of shielding. Therefore, the research recently focused on the even more challenging development of an effective method for separating Am(III) alone.The processes are based on either the selective extraction of the desired metal ions, or their selective back-extraction from a loaded organic phase. Diglycolamides are often used for the complexation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides and provide high distribution ratios from process relevant nitric acid concentrations, beneficial kinetics, and stability against hydrolysis and radiolysis.4, 5 Nitrogen-donor ligands can provide the required selectivity for An(III) over Ln(III) or even Am(III) over Cm(III).6 Understanding the fundamental complexation mechanisms and complex structures are crucial for successful process development.This presentation will give an overview of the current state of process development in Europe. Examples of successful process demonstrations will be given.7-10 They include the investigation of lipophilic and hydrophilic ligands for the (selective) complexation of actinide metal ions.AcknowledgementsFunding for this research was provided by the European Commission through the PATRICIA project (grant agree-ment number 945077), the German Ministry of Education and Research through the f-Char project (02NUK059D), as well as the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy through the SEPAM project (02E11921A).References1. OECD-NEA, Strategies and Considerations for the Back End of the Fuel Cycle, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), Boulogne-Billancourt, France, 2021.2. A. Geist, J.-M. Adnet, S. Bourg, et al., Separ. Sci. Technol., 2021, 56, 1866-1881.3. T. L. Authen, J.-M. Adnet, S. Bourg, et al., Separ. Sci. Technol., 2021, DOI:10.1080/01496395.2021.2001531.4. Y. Sasaki, Y. Sugo, S. Suzuki, et al., Solvent Extr. Ion Exch., 2001, 19, 91-103.5. S. A. Ansari, P. Pathak, P. K. Mohapatra, et al., Chem. Rev., 2012, 112, 1751-1772.6. P. J. Panak and A. Geist, Chem. Rev., 2013, 113, 1199-1236.7. A. Wilden, G. Modolo, C. Schreinemachers, et al., Solvent Extr. Ion Exch., 2013, 31, 519-537.8. A. Wilden, G. Modolo, P. Kaufholz, et al., Sep. Sci. Technol., 2015, 50, 2467-2475.9. A. Wilden, G. Modolo, P. Kaufholz, et al., Solvent Extr. Ion Exch., 2015, 33, 91-108.10. A. Wilden, D. Schneider, Z. Paparigas, et al., Radiochim. Acta, 2022, DOI:10.1515/ract-2022-0014.
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