MOX Co-deposition tests at RIAR for SF reprocessing optimization

Kofuji, Hirohide  ; Sato, Fuminori ; Myochin, Munetaka; Nakanishi, Shigeyuki*; Kormilitsyn, M. V.*; Ishunin, V.*; Bychkov, A. V.*

The Oxide Electrowinning method has being studied as one of the candidate dry reprocessing concepts of future fuel cycle system. On the MOX co-deposition process, main process of that method, some fundamental experiments have been performed to confirm its feasibility. In the experiments, several parameters were set to study the suitable electrolysis condition to obtain desired granule of MOX. The concentrations of uranium, plutonium, FP simulators, and CP simulators were adopted as the parameters. The blowing gas composition during the electrolysis was also set as the variable condition. Through these experiments, it was clarified that the partial pressure of chlorine gas during electrolysis was important to obtain MOX granule with high Pu concentration without generating bottom precipitation in melt. Finally, adequacy of process control method for MOX co-electrolysis was confirmed through the test using spent FR fuel.