Study on mass transfer kinetics in solvent extraction systems for minor actinides recovery

Sano, Yuichi; Kawanobe, Kazunori*; Sakamoto, Atsushi; Kofuji, Hirohide; Takeuchi, Masayuki; Suzuki, Hideya; Matsumura, Tatsuro

no journal, , 

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has developed several new extractants which are significantly effective in trivalent minor actinides (MA(III)) recovery from high acidic media such as high level liquid waste (HLLW). In order to design an efficient MA(III) recovery process using these new extractants, it is important to obtain their kinetic data as well as equilibrium ones in the solvent extraction system. In this study, mass transfer coefficients of trivalent lanthanides (Ln(III)), which are surrogates of MA(III), between HNO solution and tetra dodecyl diglycol amide (TDdDGA) or hexa octyl nitrilo triacetic amide (HONTA) / n-dodecane solvent were evaluated by the single drop technique and Nitsch cell tests. The mass transfer coefficients of Ln(III) back-extraction in HNO / TDdDGA system were relatively smaller than those in the extraction step, but they could be improved by the addition of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol into the TDdDGA / n-dodecane solvent. The mass transfer of Ln(III) between HNO solution and HONTA/n-dodecane solvent was considerably slower than that between HNO solution and TDdDGA / n-dodecane solvent. Based on the mass transfer coefficients obtained in these evaluations, process conditions for MA(III) recovery using mixer-settlers and centrifugal contactors were discussed.