05.08.2013 Views

ORNL-TM-7207 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

ORNL-TM-7207 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

ORNL-TM-7207 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

, . . . . . . ,<br />

-c%w<br />

probably still be mostly tri€%u~ride~, This oxidized system will<br />

be corrosive, but it should be manageable in equipment of nickel<br />

or nickel-elad Hastelloy.<br />

Step 2. Precipitate <strong>the</strong> insoluble oxides ushg water vapor diluted in<br />

helium. 'RE oxides UO2% Pa205, Pu02, Ce02, probably Np02, and<br />

possibly Am02 and @m02 should be obtairped, With <strong>the</strong> exception<br />

of %r02 and Pa205, <strong>the</strong>se will be largely in solid SUPU~FQ~. The<br />

oxide solid solution is likely to contain 15 to 20% of Tho2; this<br />

WQUP~ correspond to a few (less than 5) percent of <strong>the</strong> T%F4 pres-<br />

ent in <strong>the</strong> fluoride. Recover <strong>the</strong> oxides by decantation and fil-<br />

tration.<br />

Step 3. Hydrofluorinate <strong>the</strong> oxides from step 2 into <strong>the</strong> purified LIP-<br />

Step 4.<br />

Step 5.<br />

Step 6,<br />

BeP2-ThF4 melt from step 7 and reduce <strong>the</strong> melt with H2 and <strong>the</strong>n<br />

with lithium, thorim, or beryllium to reconstitute fuel with<br />

<strong>the</strong> desired UF~/UF~ ratio.<br />

Hydr~fluo~inate <strong>the</strong> liquid from step 2 to remove excess oxide<br />

ion. kidize to get samarium and (if possible) europium to SmF3<br />

and EuF3.<br />

Treat <strong>the</strong> melt from step 4 with an excess of CeF3. This might<br />

be done in a column or in a two- or three-batch countercurrent<br />

operation. This T ~ ~ Q V a ~ major S fraction of <strong>the</strong> rare earths but<br />

does essentially nothing for cesium, rubidium, strontium, and<br />

barium. (If neptunium, americium, and curium are appreciably<br />

harder to oxidize than plutonium, <strong>the</strong>y should remain in <strong>the</strong> salt<br />

in step 2 and should be removed on <strong>the</strong> CeF3 in step 5.)<br />

The LfF-BeF2-ThF4 melt from step 5 contains sdy a fraction of<br />

<strong>the</strong> rare earth poisons but, of course, is saturated with CeF3.<br />

oxidize <strong>the</strong> ee* to ~e4+.<br />

Step 7. ~recipitate <strong>the</strong> ce4+ as c~o~. some will accompany <strong>the</strong><br />

Step 8.<br />

Ce02, but <strong>the</strong> quantity should be small.<br />

by decantation and filtration.<br />

<strong>the</strong> fissile material recovery operation in step 3.<br />

Dissolve <strong>the</strong> solid &F3 (contaminated with rare earths) from step<br />

5 in some suitable salt (preferably not SLiF-BeP2) and oxidize<br />

<strong>the</strong> Ce3+ to @e4'@<br />

Separate <strong>the</strong> precipitate<br />

Feed <strong>the</strong> molten LiP-BeP2-ThF4 to

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!