Separation And Recovery Of Uranium From Next Generation Research Reactor Fuel Via Molten Salt Electrorefining

Abstract:

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Global Threat Reduction Initiative – Convert Fuel Development program (formerly known as Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors – RERTR) has developed a next generation fuel to enable conversion of research reactors from high enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The novel fuel design consists of a monolithic fuel meat (U-Mo alloy), a zirconium foil interface, and an aluminum clad. To complement the implementation of this new fuel, a study was performed to assess the separation and recovery of uranium after irradiation of the fuel in a research reactor. Specifically, an approach involving the dissolution of the aluminum cladding in caustic solution followed by electrorefining of the fuel meat was developed and characterized at bench scale with both unirradiated and irradiated material. The product was refined uranium metal devoid of aluminum, zirconium, and molybdenum. The results of the bench-scale demonstration will be presented along with projected process scale up requirements for applying the prescribed treatment to this new research reactor fuel.

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