Development of advanced reprocessing system based on use of pyrrolidone derivatives as novel precipitants with high selectivity and control ability, 1; Concept of advanced reprocessing system and precipitation behavior of U(VI)

Ikeda, Yasuhisa*; Takao, Koichiro*; Harada, Masayuki*; Morita, Yasuji  ; Nogami, Masanobu*; Nishimura, Kenji*

We have developed a reprocessing process for spent FBR fuels based on the precipitation method using pyrrolidone derivatives. In previous investigation, N-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone (NCP) is used as a precipitant and a process consisting of selective U precipitation step and U-Pu co-precipitation step was developed. In the present study, in order to examine the applicability of precipitants with lower hydrophobicity than NCP to the selective U precipitation step, we have carried out precipitation experiments of U(VI) by N-butyl-2-pyrrolidone (NBP) and N-propyl-2-pyrrolidone (NProP) and measured decontamination factors of some fission products.