Sequential process test for metal pyro-processing using U, Pu, and Am

Kurata, Masaki* ; Yahagi, Noboru*; Kitawaki, Shinichi ; Nakayoshi, Akira  ; Fukushima, Mineo 

CRIEPI and JAEA are continuing a collaboration study for metal pyro-processing, in which sequential process tests have been performed under practical conditions using 1kg of molten salt baths. Recent results on two kinds of sequential process test are reported. The former is the electro-chemical reduction test of MOX pellet in order to form U-Pu alloy ingots. The latter is the electrolysis test using a combination of U-Pu alloy anode and solid or liquid cadmium cathode to recover U-product or U-Pu-Am alloy product, respectively. Variation in electrode potentials, current efficiency, molten salt composition, Pu- or Am-impurity in the U-product, U/Pu or Am/Pu separation factor in the U-Pu alloy product, and etc. were measured. These tests reproduced practical operating conditions at a scale of 1/1000 that of the actual process.