A pyrochemical electrorefining process for the recovery of actinides from metallic nuclear fuel based on actinide-zirconium alloys (An-Zr) in a molten salt is being investigated. In this process actinides are group-selectively recovered on solid aluminium cathodes as AnAl alloys using a LiCl-KCl eutectic melt at a temperature of 450°C. In the present study the electrochemical behaviour of zirconium during electrorefining was investigated. The maximum amount of actinides that can be oxidised without anodic co-dissolution of zirconium was determined at a selected constant cathodic current density. The experiment consisted of three steps to assess the different stages of the electrorefining process, each of which employing a fresh aluminium cathode. The results indicate that almost a complete dissolution of the actinides without co-dissolution of zirconium is possible under the applied experimental conditions.
MEIER Roland;
SOUCEK Pavel;
MALMBECK Rikard;
KRACHLER Michael;
RODRIGUES Alcide;
CLAUX Benoit;
GLATZ Jean-Paul;
FANGHAENEL Thomas;
2016-03-10
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
JRC97872
0022-3115,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC97872,
10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.033,
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