Nuclear fuel reprocessing

• US 6,623,710 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nexia Solutions Limited
• Original Assignee: British Nuclear Technology
• Inventors: Gaubert, Emmanuel, Wallwork, Andrew Lindsay, Towler, Gavin Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): BOS, STEVEN J
• Application Number:
  US09/530,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 423/8, 423/9, 423/10, 976/DIG.279, 422/159
• US Class Current: 423/8
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 19/46 Aqueous processes , e.g. by using organic extraction means, including the regeneration of these means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/50 Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies

Abstract

A spent fuel reprocessing method including the steps of partitioning U and Pu(III) in a solvent by solvent extraction and subsequently polishing the solvent in a neptunium rejection operation for removing Np therefrom. The solvent obtained from the neptunium rejection operation (the polished solvent or NpA solvent product) is then recycled to a U/Pu partitioning operation. The method enables a reduction in solvent feed and solvent effluent volumes.

Claims

1. A spent fuel reprocessing method, comprising the steps of:

partitioning U and Pu(III) in a solvent via solvent extraction;

polishing said solvent in a neptunium rejection operation for removing Np from said solvent to form a polished solvent; and

,

recycling said polished solvent from said neptunium rejection operation to a U/Pu split operation.

2. The spent fuel reprocessing method according to claim 1, wherein said partitioning of U and Pu(III) is performed in a multi-stage contactor and recycled solvent is fed into a stream of said solvent immediately prior to a final contactor through which said solvent flows.

3. A spent fuel reprocessing method, comprising the steps of:

partitioning U and Pu(III) in a solvent via solvent extraction;

polishing said solvent in a neptunium rejection operation for removing Np from said solvent to form a polished solvent; and

,

recycling said polished solvent from said neptunium rejection operation to a U/Pu split operation, said recycling comprising recycling a fraction of an aqueous stream of the Np rejection operation to the U/Pu split operation.

4. The spent fuel reprocessing method according to claim 3, wherein the fraction of the aqueous stream contains formohydroxamic acid which is contained in a vessel for allowing complete hydrolysis of the formohydroxamic acid before being supplied to the U/Pu split operation.

5. A spent fuel reprocessing method, comprising the steps of:

partitioning U and Pu(III) in a solvent via solvent extraction;

polishing said solvent in a neptunium rejection operation for removing Np from said solvent to form a polished solvent; and

,

recycling said polished solvent from said neptunium rejection operation to a U/Pu split operation, said recycling comprising recycling a fraction of said solvent of the U/Pu split operation to a Tc rejection operation.

6. The spent fuel reprocessing method according to claim 5, wherein a fraction of said solvent is treated for oxidizing U(IV) and PU(III) before being supplied to the Tc rejection operation.

7. A spent fuel reprocessing method, comprising the steps of:

partitioning U and PU(III) in a solvent via solvent extraction;

polishing said solvent in a neptunium rejection operation for removing Np from said solvent to form a polished solvent; and

,

recycling said polished solvent from said neptunium rejection operation to a U/Pu split operation, said recycling comprising recycling a fraction of said solvent of the U/Pu split operation to a fission product removal operation.

8. The spent fuel reprocessing method according to claim 7, wherein a fraction of said solvent is treated for oxidizing U(IV) and Pu(III) before being supplied to the fission product removal operation.