Demonstration of a SANEX process in centrifugal contactors using the CyMe4-BTBP molecule on a genuine fuel solution

• Efficient recovery of minor actinides from a genuine spent fuel solution has been successfully demonstrated by the CyMe4-BTBP/DMDOHEMA extractant mixture dissolved in octanol. The continuous countercurrent process, in which actinides(III) were separated from lanthanides(III), was carried out in laboratory centrifugal contactors using an optimized flow-sheet involving a total of 16 stages. The process was divided into 9 stages for extraction from a 2 M nitric acid feed solution, 3 stages for lanthanide scrubbing, and 4 stages for actinide back-extraction. Excellent feed decontamination factors for Am (7000) and Cm (1000) were obtained and the recoveries of these elements were higher than 99.9%. More than 99.9% of the lanthanides were directed to the raffinate except Gd for which 0.32% was recovered in the product.

Nyckelord

Minor actinides

Partitioning

CyMe4-BTBP process

Solvent extraction

SANEX

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