Advanced ORIENT cycle, toward realizing intensified transmutation and utilization of radioactive wastes

Ozawa, Masaki; Koyama, Shinichi  ; Suzuki, Tatsuya*; Fujita, Reiko*; Mimura, Hitoshi*; Fujii, Yasuhiko*

To minimize the ecological burden originating in nuclear fuel recycling, a new R&D strategy, Adv.-ORIENT (Advanced Optimization by Recycling Instructive ElemeNTs) cycle, was set forth. A key separation tool is ion exchange chromatography (IXC) by a tertiary pyridine resin having soft donor nitrogen atoms. This method has provided individual recovery of pure Am and Cm products with a Pu/U/Np fraction from irradiated fuel in just a 3-step separation. A catalytic electrolytic extraction (CEE) method by Pd has been employed to separate, purify and fabricate RMFP catalysts. High separation efficiency of RMFP proved hydrochloric acid as a suitable media for their recovery. Different functioned ion exchangers, e.g., ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP), have been investigated for the separation of Cs. Theoretical and laboratory studies on the isotope separation of LLFPs were begun for Se, Sn and Cs.