Batch crystallization of uranyl nitrate

硝酸ウラニルバッチ晶析試験

近沢 孝弘*; 菊池 俊明*; 柴田 淳広  ; 小山 智造; 本間 俊司*

Chikazawa, Takahiro*; Kikuchi, Toshiaki*; Shibata, Atsuhiro; Koyama, Tomozo; Homma, Shunji*

晶析工程を含む再処理技術開発の基礎データを得ることを目的に、硝酸ウラニルのバッチ晶析試験を実施した。使用済燃料溶解液の状態に対応するように、試験液中の初期の硝酸ウラニル濃度と酸濃度はそれぞれ500-600g/dmと4-6mol/dmとした。また、母液中のウラン濃度及び酸濃度並びに硝酸ウラニル結晶生成量を予想する方法を開発した。硝酸ウラニルの平衡溶解度の近似式を含む、定常状態の質量保存方程式を硝酸ウラニル結晶生成量等の予想方法に適用した。ウラン濃度と酸濃度の計算値は、実験値とよく一致している。硝酸ウラニル結晶生成量に関しては、5%以下の誤差で予想できる。

Batch crystallization of uranyl nitrate is carried out in order to obtain fundamental data required for the development of reprocessing involving crystallization. Particular attention is paid to the development of a method for predicting the concentrations of uranium and nitric acid in the mother liquor and the amount of uranyl nitrate crystals produced. Initial concentrations of uranyl nitrate and nitric acid are 500-600 g/dm and 4-6 mol/dm, respectively, corresponding to the condition of a dissolver solution of spent fuel. Steady-state mass balance equations including the correlation equation for the equilibrium solubility of uranium nitrate are applied to the prediction. The calculated concentrations of uranium and nitric acid are in close agreement with the experimental ones. The recovery of uranium is accurately predicted by the calculated concentrations, with an error of less than 5%.