Research Progress of Alkaline Process of Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

Abstract

The alkaline process of spent nuclear fuel(SNF) reprocessing refers to reprocessing methods that use the alkaline solution of carbonates or hydroxides as the media to conduct the dissolution of SNF and subsequent separations of uranium, plutonium and other elements. Most of the fission products and minor actinides are either insoluble or changed to insoluble carbonates or hydroxides during the alkaline dissolution of SNF, indicating that the resulted dissolver solution contains less amount of fission and minor actinide elements. Thus, the solution is less radioactive and less corrosive in contrast to the acidic dissolver solution of commercial PUREX(plutonium uranium redox extraction) process. Due to advantages of the alkaline process and its important potential application in SNF reprocessing, researchers from Japan, Russia, the United States, South Korea, etc. have carried out some research work around this reprocessing method. This paper will review technical routes of the alkaline process proposed by these researchers and research progress related to the main processes such as oxidation dissolution of SNF, separation technologies and recovery of used reagents. The challenges and prospects in this field are also discussed.

Keywords

• reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel
• alkaline process
• oxidative dissolution
• actinide separation