Development of advanced reprocessing system based on precipitation method using pyrrolidone derivatives as precipitants; Overall evaluation of system

Ikeda, Yasuhisa*; Kawasaki, Takeshi*; Harada, Masayuki*; Nogami, Masanobu*; Kawata, Yoshihisa*; Kim, S.-Y.*; Morita, Yasuji  ; Chikazawa, Takahiro*; Someya, Hiroshi*; Kikuchi, Toshiaki*

An advanced reprocessing system for spent FBR fuels based on two precipitation processes using pyrrolidone derivatives as precipitants has been developed. Experimental results of precipitation behavior of U, Pu and other elements, the heat- and radiation-resistance of precipitants, the thermal decomposition properties of precipitates showed that N-n-butyl-2-pyrrolidone and N-neopentyl-2-pyrrolidone are the appropriate precipitants for the first and second precipitation steps, respectively. From the engineering investigation, We confirmed that the precipitation and the filtration can be done efficiently using the engineering scale equipment and that the fuel pellets are directly prepared by the calcination of the precipitates. On the basis of these results, we evaluated that the proposed system is expected to be one of candidates of the future reprocessing systems for spent FBR fuels.