Development of temperature swing extraction apparatus for uranium waste treatment

Kai, Masao; Sato, Takanori*; Iwamoto, Toshihiro ; Saito, Madoka*; Nakahara, Masaumi; Takahatake, Yoko  ; Watanabe, So  ; Nakamura, Masahiro  ; Naruse, Atsuki*; Itoda, Naokazu*; Tsukahara, Takehiko*

The sludges containing uranium are generated in the nuclear fuel fabrication facilities. Uranium is planned to be selectively recovered from the sludge leachate. The temperature swing extraction method was selected for the selective recovery of uranium. In this study, a small-scale testing system was developed, and the performances of the agitation, the transportation of the gel-containing solution, and the separation of the gel were experimentally examined. Cerium(IV) was used instead of uranium, and agitator blades were selected to agitate the gel solution effectively. The gel solution was transferred through the self-feeding pump and was successfully separated into the gel and the solution using the spin dryer with a filter cloth.