Practical scale system for uranium recovery from seawater using braid type absorbent

Shimizu, Takao*; Tamada, Masao

Recovery system of braid type adsorbent which stands straight with built-in float from sea bottom was proposed on the points of effective and economical view. The system scale for 1200 t/y recovery (demand for 6 atomic power plants) with braid type adsorbent was optimized by a model in which the efficiency of uranium adsorption was proportional to the uranium concentration surrounding the adsorbent. The recovery system of 2.67 millions adsorbents which were arranged with the distance of more than 60m intervals among the adsorbents could collect 1200t/y uranium. The system still collected 1000 t/y uranium when the interval distance decreased to 4 m. The area occupied by the adsorbents was 6.5 km square. The sea area on the coast of Japan was searched for recovery system of braid type adsorbent by considering the factors of the temperature, the depth, the fishery, and the territorial waters of Japan. The selected sea area was located form the South East Islands to the offing of Koch in the depth range from 100m to 200m, where the Japan Current flew.