A method for the separation of U and RE from LiCl–KCl eutectic salt containing a high concentration of RE

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 332; no. 11; pp. 4567 - 4572
• Main Authors: Eun, Hee-Chul, Kim, Tack-Jin, Park, Woo-Shin, Kim, Dong-Su
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.11.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Deposition; Diagnostic Radiology; Eutectics; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Lithium chloride; Methods; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear energy; Nuclear fuel cycle; Nuclear industry; Nuclear Physics; Physical Chemistry; Potassium chloride; Rare earth elements; Spent nuclear fuels; LiCl–KCl eutectic salt; RE; Separation; Pyroprocessing; U
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-023-09160-4

In the pyroprocessing of used nuclear fuel, it is difficult to recover U in a recyclable form from LiCl–KCl eutectic salt containing a high concentration of rare earths (REs) by co-deposition of U and RE. To derive a solution to this problem, it is necessary to develop a technology to reduce the RE concentration or separate the RE in the salt. To this end, an integrated process of chemical conversion of UCl 3 into an oxide form and electro-deposition of NdCl 3 in a metal form was evaluated using a simulated LiCl–KCl salt containing about 1.4 wt% of UCl 3 and 4.0 wt% NdCl 3 in this study. Through the integrated process, higher than 99% conversion efficiency of U was obtained and the concentration of Nd in the simulated salt was reduced to less than 1/100. It is expected that the integrated process also can be applied effectively to the recovery of U from LiCl–KCl eutectic salt containing a high concentration of RE.