Nuclear fuel reprocessing using hydrophilic substituted hydroxylamines
AssigneeBritish Nuclear Fuels plc
InventorsSergey Mikhailovich Baranov, Valentin Sergeevich Koltunov, Robin John Taylor, Iain May
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Abstract
The spent nuclear fuel reprocessing method includes contacting an organic phase containing Np(VI) with a hydrophilic substituted hydroxylamine in which at least one N—H hydrogen of the hydroxylamine is replaced by an organic substituent, there being at least one such organic substituent having one or more hydroxyl groups. Np(VI) is reduced to Np(V), which is then backwashed into an aqueous phase.
Claims10
A spent fuel reprocessing method in which an organic phase containing Np(VI) is contacted with a hydrophilic substituted hydroxylamine in which at least one N—H hydrogen of the hydroxylamine is replaced by an organic substituent and there is at least one such organic substituent having one or more hydroxyl groups, to reduce Np(VI) to Np(V), the Np(V) then being backwashed into an aqueous phase.
A Purex reprocessing method comprising treating an active solvent feed entering a U/Pu split operation with a hydrophilic substituted hydroxylamine in which at least one N—H hydrogen of the hydroxylamine is replaced by an organic substituent and there is at least one such organic substituent having one or more hydroxyl groups, to reduce Pu to Pu(III) and Np(VI) to Np(V), wherein the Pu(III) and Np(V) species are backwashed into an aqueous stream.
A method of reducing Np(VI) to Np(V), said method comprising contacting Np(VI) with a hydrophilic substituted hydroxylamine in which at least one N—H hydrogen of the hydroxylamine is replaced by an organic substituent and wherein there is at least one such organic substituent having one or more hydroxyl groups.
A method of reducing Pu(IV) to Pu(III), said method comprising contacting Pu(IV) with a hydrophilic substituted hydroxylamine in which at least one N—H hydrogen of the hydroxylamine is replaced by an organic substituent and wherein there is at least one such organic substituent having one or more hydroxyl groups.
A method of reducing Np(V) to Np(IV), said method comprising contacting Np(V) with a hydrophilic substituted hydroxylamine in which at least one N—H hydrogen of the hydroxylamine is replaced by an organic substituent and there is at least one such organic substituent having one or more hydroxyl groups.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.