Process for the removal of tritium from the product solutions obtained by the Purex process
AssigneeUhde GmbH
InventorsRainer Olinger, Andre van den Bossche
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for the removal of tritium from the product solutions obtained in the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels by the Purex process comprising a plurality of series-connected extraction cycles having an organic solvent.
Claims7
A method for the removal of tritium from a product solution obtained in the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel by the PUREX process, said method comprising the steps of subjecting a plurality of aqueous solutions of the product to a plurality of successive extractions with a water-immiscible solvent to produce a plurality of successively less contaminated solutions of the fuel in the water-immiscible solvent and a plurality of aqueous tritium extracts, separating each of the immiscible solvent solutions from its associated tritium extract, subjecting a plurality of the immiscible solvent solutions of the fuel to re-extraction to produce the aqueous solution of the fuel which is subjected to each of the next successive extractions, purifying a plurality of the aqueous tritium extracts, and using the tritium extract separated from one of the immiscible solvent solutions and purified to re-extract the next more contaminated immiscible solvent solution.
A method for the removal of tritium from an aqueous PUREX process product solution obtained in the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel, which method includes the steps of circulating the aqueous product solution to a first solvent extraction stage;
- treating the product solution at the first extraction stage with an immiscible solvent to extract therefrom an organic solvent product solution, leaving an aqueous tritium extract;
- separating the aqueous tritium extract from the organic solvent solution;
- purifying the aqueous extract;
- circulating the organic solvent product solution from the first solvent extraction stage to a re-extraction stage;
- treating the solvent solution at the re-extraction stage to extract therefrom a second aqueous fuel product solution;
- circulating the second aqueous fuel product solution to a second solvent extraction stage;
- treating the second aqueous product solution at the second extraction stage with an immiscible solvent to extract therefrom an organic solvent product solution, leaving a second aqueous tritium extract;
- separating the second aqueous tritium extract from the second organic solvent solution;
- purifying the second aqueous extract;
- circulating the purified second extract to the first re-extraction stage;
- and using the purified second extract in the re-extraction stage as a solvent for the second aqueous fuel product solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.