Application of Extraction Chromatography to Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

Abstract

The potentialities of applying extraction chromatography to the reprocessing of reactor fuels on an industrial scale have been investigated. The stationary phase was undiluted (100%) tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and the mobile phases were nitric acid or nitrate salt solutions with or without reducing agents for plutonium. Several extraction chromatographic processes for the recovery of nuclear grade uranium and plutonium are described. The flowsheets are based on a systematic determination of the distribution coefficients of relevant metal species (particularly those of uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, ruthenium, zirconium and niobium) in the chromatographic systems employed. The Purochromex process developed for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from light-water reactor fuels and the Eurochromex process developed for the separation of highly enriched uranium from irradiated U/A1 alloy, U/Zr alloy and uranyl sulfate fuels have successfully been hot-tested on a laboratory scale and cold-tested on an “industrial scale.” Some complementary studies related to the separation processes. such as radiation degradation of the stationary phase and the removal of tributyl phosphate from product and waste streams, are also described.