Abstract
This study was conducted in an attempt to understand the effect of a stirred liquid cadmium cathode (LCC) on the electrodeposition of U and U/RE on Cd. For this purpose, a series of electrowinning tests were performed using an LCC equipped with a Cd stirrer. Initially, three runs of the U electrodeposition tests were conducted using LiCl-KCl-UCl3 at 500°C under a constant current. From the results obtained from the initial three runs, it was found that the maximum deposited amount of U was 7.4 wt% U/Cd. U dendrite formation on the LCC crucible was not observed across each of the three runs. Three additional runs were conducted using LiCl-KCl-UCl3-RECl3 to determine the extent of U/RE electrodeposition. The maximum number of moles of U + RE metals deposited was 0.07, a value estimated to be 2.14 times higher than the solubility limits exhibited by these metals in Cd. The results of this study show that the use of a Cd stirrer significantly improves the extent of U deposition.
Highlights
To inhibit the formation of U dendrites
All experiments were performed in a glove box under an Ar(g) atmosphere (H2O < 1 ppm and O2 < 3 ppm). e liquid Cd cathode was prepared in a rectangular alumina crucible. e crucible was used as the Cd container into which a lead wire and Cd stirrer were added in parallel, as shown schematically in Figure 1. e stirrer consisted of a three-blade impeller and a head motor (IG-32GM 03TYPE DC 12 V + encoder), with the areas in contact with Cd being fabricated from alumina. e Cd lead wire was insulated by an alumina shroud except for a portion of the bottom section. e reference electrode consisted of a Mullite tube into which the LiCl-KCl eutectic mixture containing 1 mol% AgCl was added
Prior to starting the liquid cadmium cathode (LCC) electrodeposition test, cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements were performed using the stirred LCC immersed in LiCl-KCl-2.85 wt% UCl3 at 500°C
Summary
In Japan, a paddletype stirrer was developed which prevented U dendrite formation by introducing turbulent flow [5]. In the USA, a pounder-type LCC was designed which pushed any U deposits down into the LCC [6]. At the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), a mesh-type LCC structure was devised which allowed significant U deposition of over 5 wt % in the LCC without inducing U dendrite formation [7]. E Cd stirrer was designed to improve actinide recovery by preventing the formation and growth of U dendrites at the Cd surface. In order to evaluate the performance of the stirred LCC, electrodeposition experiments using the novel LCC with the Cd stirrer were conducted in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 and LiCl-KClUCl3-RECl3 (RE: Nd, Ce, and La) at 500°C
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