ACSEPT – Status in Advanced Separation Process Developments in Europe

Abstract

Actinide recycling by separation and transmutation is considered worldwide and particularly in several European countries as one of the most promising strategies to reduce the inventory of radioactive waste and to optimize the use of natural resources. With its multidisciplinary consortium of 34 partners from 12 European countries plus Australia and Japan, the European Research Project ACSEPT (Actinide reCycling by SEParation and Transmutation) aims at contributing to the development of this strategy by studying both hydrometallurgical and pyrochemical partitioning routes.After three years of work, significant progresses were achieved in process development with the demonstration of the SANEX and innovative SANEX flowsheets. Chemical systems were selected for GANEX and a demonstration flowsheet in under finalization. These results were achieved thanks to a strong involvement and reactivity of the consortium members. After about fifteen years of exploratory research on new extracting molecules, the work focuses now on the optimisation of the selected systems, particularly on some hydrophilic molecules or masking agents for specific fission products. Aside, the dissolution studies are now on the tracks.In pyrometallurgy, the work progresses as well. Headsteps studies gave promising results and two methods were developed for the back extraction of the actinides from the aluminium, wich is the metallic solvent involved in the two ACSEPT pyro processes.In addition, efforts were made to increase collaborations, mutualise and homogenise procedures and share good practices. Based on these assessments, it is then time to look at the future challenges to be issued.A training and education program is implemented to share the knowledge among the partitioning community, and present and future generations of researchers. Specific attention is also given to the funding of postdoctorate fellowships, and student exchanges between Partners. Through this training and education programme, the first ACSEPT International Workshop was organised in March 2010 in Lisbon, Portugal. This T&E program is a key point for maintaining a high expertise level in actinide separation sciences in Europe.The following of ACSEPT is currently under preparation to go further towards demonstration at the pilot scale.