Re-evaluation of radiation-energy transfer to an extraction solvent in a minor-actinide-separation process based on consideration of radiation permeability

Toigawa, Tomohiro; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Kai, Takeshi; Furuta, Takuya; Kumagai, Yuta; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 39(1), p.74 - 89, 2021/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2020.1826639

Absorbed-dose estimation is essential for evaluation of the radiation feasibility of minor-actinide-separation processes. We propose a dose-evaluation method based on radiation permeability, with comparisons of heterogeneous structures seen in the solvent-extraction process, such as emulsions forming in the mixture of the organic and aqueous phases. A demonstration of radiation-energy-transfer simulation is performed with a focus on the minor-actinide-recovery process from high-level liquid waste with the aid of the Monte Carlo radiation-transport code PHITS. The simulation results indicate that the dose absorbed by the extraction solvent from alpha ray depends upon the emulsion structure, and that from beta and gamma ray depends upon the mixer-settler-apparatus size. Non-negligible contributions of well-permeable gamma rays were indicated in terms of the plant operation of the minor-actinide-separation process.

Effects of diluents on the separation of minor actinides from lanthanides with tetradodecyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-diamide from nitric acid medium

Tsutsui, Nao; Ban, Yasutoshi; Suzuki, Hideya*; Nakase, Masahiko*; Ito, Sayumi*; Inaba, Yusuke*; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Takeshita, Kenji*

Analytical Sciences, 36(2), p.241 - 246, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.19P275

To investigate the effective separation of actinides (Ans) from lanthanides (Lns), single-stage batch extraction experiments were performed with a novel extractant, tetradodecyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-diamide (TDdPTDA) with various diluents such as 3-nitrobenzotrifluoride (F-3), nitrobenzene, and -dodecane for Am, Cm, and Lns. The extraction kinetics with TDdPTDA was rapid enough to perform the actual extraction flow sheet. The slopes of the distribution ratio versus TDdPTDA concentration and the distribution ratio versus nitric acid concentration were similar for F-3 and nitrobenzene systems but different from -dodecane system. These differences were attributed to the characteristics of the diluents. This study reveals high distribution ratios of Am ( ) and Cm ( ) for TDdPTDA, with the high separation factors (s) of Am from Lns enough for their separation.

No secondary waste recycle technology for rare metals using the hydrophilic extraction with phase transfer phenomena

Tsukahara, Takehiko*; Saga, Kaname*; Suzuki, Hideya*; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Kurin Tekunoroji, 29(12), p.4 - 7, 2019/12

no abstracts in English

Zr separation from high-level liquid waste with a novel hydroxyacetoamide type extractant

Morita, Keisuke; Suzuki, Hideya; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Takahashi, Yuya*; Omori, Takashi*; Kaneko, Masaaki*; Asano, Kazuhito*

Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference / Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global/Top Fuel 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.464 - 468, 2019/09

High level liquid waste (HLLW) contains several radionuclides with half-lives longer than 10 year. For reduce environmental burden of waste disposal, minor actinoids and long-lived fission products will to be partitioned and transmuted. JAEA and Toshiba developed process for recovering Se, Zr, Pd and Cs from HLLW. Solvent extraction for Zr with novel extractant, -didodecyl-2-hydroxyacetoamide (HAA) was detailed. The HAA system showed high selectivity for Zr, as indicated by the extraction order of Zr Mo Pd Ag Sb Sn Lns Fe. The extracted species was determined as Zr(HAA)(NO)(HNO). A continuous countercurrent extraction with HAA was applied to a simulated, concentrated HLLW after Pd, Se, and Cs removal, where the quantitative extraction of Zr and Mo was effectively demonstrated.

Theoretical elucidation of Am(III)/Cm(III) separation mechanism with diamide-type ligands using relativistic density functional theory calculation

Kaneko, Masashi; Suzuki, Hideya; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Inorganic Chemistry, 57(23), p.14513 - 14523, 2018/12

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b01624

We elucidated the separation mechanism between Am(III) and Cm(III) ions by using two different types of diamide ligands, diglycolamide (DGA) and alkylated diamide amine (ADAAM), by means of the density functional theory technique and electron density analysis. The molecular geometries and formation reactions of the metal-ligand complexes were modeled by using [M(DGA)] and [M(ADAAM)(NO)(HO)]. We successfully reproduced Cm(III) selectivity over Am(III) with DGA and Am(III) selectivity over Cm(III) with ADAAM. Furthermore, we analyzed the bonding properties between the metal ion and the diamide-type ligands by using model complexes, [M(DGA)] and [M(ADAAM)(NO)(HO)], and revealed the differences in terms of the bond dissociation energy and the metal 5f-orbital participation in the covalency between the Am(III) and the Cm(III) complexes. It was suggested that the differences were key factors to understand the Am(III)/Cm(III) selectivity.

Characteristics of TPDN/SiO-P adsorbent for MA(III) recovery

Kofuji, Hirohide; Watanabe, So; Takeuchi, Masayuki; Suzuki, Hideya; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Shiwaku, Hideaki; Yaita, Tsuyoshi

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 5, p.61 - 65, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.5.61

Optimization of disposal method and scenario to reduce high level waste volume and repository footprint for HTGR

Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Nishihara, Tetsuo; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 116, p.224 - 234, 2018/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.02.031

Optimization of disposal method and scenario to reduce volume of High Level Waste (HLW) and the footprint in a geological repository for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) has been performed. It was found that HTGR has great advantages to reducing HLW volume and its footprint, which are high burn-up, high thermal efficiency and pin-in-block type fuel, compared with those of LWR and has potential to reduce those more in the previous study. In this study, the scenario is optimized, and the geological repository layout is designed with the horizontal emplacement based on the KBS-3H concept instead of the vertical emplacement based on KBS-3V concept employed in the previous study. As a result, for direct disposal, the repository footprint can be reduced by 20 % by employing the horizontal without change of the scenario. By extending 40 years for cooling time before disposal, the footprint can be reduced by 50 %. For disposal with reprocessing, the number of canister generation can be reduced by 20 % by extending cooling time of 1.5 years between the discharge and reprocessing. The footprint per electricity generation can be reduced by 80 % by extending 40 years before disposal. Moreover, by employing four-group partitioning technology without transmutation, the footprint can be reduced by 90 % with cooling time of 150 years.

Continuous extraction and separation of Am(III) and Cm(III) using a highly practical diamide amine extractant

Suzuki, Hideya; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Kurosawa, Tatsuya*; Sagawa, Hiroshi*; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 54(11), p.1163 - 1167, 2017/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2017.1299050

A highly practical diamide-type extractant, which is an alkyl diamide amine with 2-ethylhexyl alkyl chains (ADAAM(EH)), was investigated for mutual separation of Am(III) and Cm(III). ADAAM(EH) is a multidentate ligand with one soft N-donor atom and two hard O-donor atoms in its central frame. This tridentate arrangement of donor atoms provides selective binding to Am(III) compared to that with Cm(III) in highly acidic media, resulting in separation factors of up to 5.5. A continuous liquid-liquid extraction and stripping test was conducted using a multistage countercurrent mixer-settler extractor with ADAAM(EH) in n-dodecane. In this test, separation of Am(III) and Cm(III) was achieved with very high yield.

Countercurrent extraction/stripping experiments using TDdDGA solvent extractant in a centrifugal contactor system,2; Evaluation on the improved flowsheet for MA recovery

Kibe, Satoshi; Fujisaku, Kazuhiko*; Sakamoto, Atsushi; Sano, Yuichi; Takeuchi, Masayuki; Suzuki, Hideya; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

JAEA-Research 2016-024, 40 Pages, 2017/02

JAEA-Research-2016-024.pdf:6.73MB

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been developing some flowsheets with TDdDGA (N,N,N,Ntetradodecyldiglycolamide) extractant to recover MA (minor actinide) from raffinate. In this study, countercurrent experiments with the improved flowsheet, e.g. the addition of alcohol into the solvent for preventing the precipitation, were performed using miniature centrifugal contactors in order to compare the extraction/stripping behavior of each element with the mixer-settler type. As a result, no entrainments were observed and sufficient phase separation was achieved by centrifugal contactors without any abnormal fluid behavior, such as overflow. The extraction and stripping of Ln(III) which show the similar tendencies as MA could be achieved successfully, especially their stripping proceeded more efficiently in centrifugal contactors. This might be due to the increase in stripping rates by improving the flowsheet and to superior phase separation performance of centrifugal contactors.

Uranium and plutonium extraction by -dialkylamides using multistage mixer-settler extractors

Ban, Yasutoshi; Hotoku, Shinobu; Tsutsui, Nao; Suzuki, Asuka; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Procedia Chemistry, 21, p.156 - 161, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proche.2016.10.022

A continuous counter-current experiment was carried out to demonstrate the validity of a process using -dialkylamides for recovering U and Pu. This process consisted of two cycles, and the 1st cycle and the 2nd cycle employed -di(2-ethylhexyl)-2,2-dimethylpropanamide and -di(2-ethylhexyl)butanamide as extractants, respectively. The feed solution for the 1st cycle was 5.1 mol/dm (M) nitric acid containing 0.92 M U, 1.6 mM Pu, and 0.6 mM Np. The raffinate collected in the 1st cycle was used as the feed for the 2nd cycle. The ratios of U recovered in the U fraction and U-Pu fraction were 99.1% and 0.8%, respectively. The ratio of Pu recovered in the U-Pu fraction was 99.7%. The concentration ratio of U with respect to Pu in the U-Pu fraction was 9, and this indicated that Pu was not isolated. The decontamination factor of U with respect to Pu in the U fraction was obtained as 4.510. These results supported the validity of the proposed process.