Nuclear fuel reprocessing
AssigneeBritish Nuclear Fuels plc
InventorsRobin John Taylor, Iain Stewart Denniss, Andrew Lindsay Wallwork
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Abstract
A spent fuel reprocessing method includes at least the formation of an aqueous solution and at least one solvent extraction step. Formohydroxarmic acid is used to reduce any Np(VI) to Np(V) and/or to form a complex with Np(IV). As a result, substantially all the neptunium present is retained in the aqueous phase during solvent extraction.
Claims6
In a spent fuel reprocessing method comprising at least the formation of an aqueous solution of the spent fuel and at least one solvent extraction step, the improvement comprising a step of using formohydroxamic acid to reduce any Np(VI) to Np(V) and/or to form a complex with any Np(IV) whereby substantially all the neptunium present will be retained in an aqueous phase during the solvent extraction step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.