Separation of actinides and fission products in high-level liquid wastes by the improved TRUEX process

Abstract

With the aim of establishing an advanced fuel cycle enabling us to utilize all actinides in the spent fuels, separation of minor actinides in high-level liquid wastes (HLLW) has been studied using a CMPO/TBP mixture extractant. A novel flowsheet is being developed, by counter-current experiments using real HLLW from PUREX experiments, characterized by employing acidification for enhancing extraction of actinides with increasing RuNO 3+ decontamination, and a few mild salt-free reagents for fractional stripping and solvent clean-up steps. The flowsheet can give α- and salt-free HLLW providing a D F Am≥10 3. In the counter-current experiments for SETFICS a flowsheet has been developed to separate An(III) and Ln using DTPA, Am and Cm was recovered without light lanthanide, and the applicability of hydroxylamine nitrate as a salting-out reagent was confirmed.