A Simple process simulation method for radiation stability evaluation of minor actinides separation

Toigawa, Tomohiro; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Kumagai, Yuta; Ban, Yasutoshi

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 8, p.286 - 290, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.8.286

We propose a simple process simulation methodology that uses readily available information about radiation impact. A process simulation was conducted for a minor actinides (MA) separation process while considering the degradation of extraction ability by radiolysis. The simulation provided a processing limit of MA and enabled the evaluation of radiation stability.

Development of technology for separating Am-241 in aged plutonium

Emori, Tatsuya; Kitatsuji, Yoshihiro; Ban, Yasutoshi

JAEA-Technology 2024-025, 20 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Technology-2024-025.pdf:1.65MB

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) using the decay heat of Pu-238 has been applied for outer planet missions far from Jupiter, where solar power is limited. However, no facilities are available to produce Pu-238 for space probes in Japan. Moreover, the use of nuclear materials for the space exploration is difficult in term of the regulation. Thus, we focused on Am-241 whose half-life is around 432 years as an alternative heat source for RTGs. This report describes the procedure of separating Am-241 decayed from Pu-241 in aged plutonium oxide. Two experiments were performed: one using solid-liquid extraction and the other combining liquid-liquid extraction and solid-liquid extraction. Packed columns were used in the experiments, with their number reduced by less than one-fifth in the latter experiment compared to the former. Furthermore, the time required for separation in the latter experiment was less than half that of the former. We performed the separation experiments six times, collecting a total of approximately 0.43 g of Am-241 as an oxalate salt.

Comparisons of the masking effect of carboxylic, amic-acidic, and amidic compounds on lanthanides and Am complexation

Sasaki, Yuji; Kaneko, Masashi; Ban, Yasutoshi; Suzuki, Tatsuya*

Solvent Extraction Research and Development, Japan, 32(1), p.21 - 29, 2025/00

https://doi.org/10.15261/serdj.32.21

The magnitude of the masking effect of carboxylic, amic-acidic, and amidic compounds through Ln and Am extractions by tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) is compared. The compounds used are diglycol, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine-type, and two other amides (dioxaoctane diamide and nitrylotriacetamide). The results show that below pH 1.2, where carboxylic acids are less dissociated, amide O atoms have higher reactivity with lanthanides than O atoms in carboxyl groups. From observing the Ln patterns (D(Ln) vs. their atomic number), the compounds primarily show high reactivity, with middle and heavy Ln having a higher charge density than light Ln. Four amide compounds are employed in this work. Those with tertiary amine N atoms have pH dependence on D(Ln) due to protonation and dissociation from amine N atoms.

Eu(III) transfer in single -tetraoctyldiglycolamide-impregnated polymer-coated silica particle using fluorescence microspectroscopy; Transfer mechanism and effect of polymer crosslinking degree

Miyagawa, Akihisa*; Takahashi, Takumi*; Kuzure, Yoshiaki*; Iwamoto, Hibiki*; Arai, Tsuyoshi*; Nagatomo, Shigenori*; Watanabe, So; Sano, Yuichi; Nakatani, Kiyoharu*

Analytical Sciences, 39(11), p.1929 - 1936, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1007/s44211-023-00402-9

In this study, we revealed the Eu(III) distribution in a single diglycolamide-derivative extractant (TODGA)-impregnated polymer-coated silica particle. The reaction of Eu(III) with two TODGA molecules in the polymer layer was the rate-limiting process, as evidenced by the absence of any correlation between the rate constants (k and k) and concentrations of Eu(III) and HNO.

Investigation of total separations using solvent extraction of actinides and fission products

Sasaki, Yuji

Bunri Gijutsu, 52(2), p.103 - 107, 2022/03

We develop all-inclusive partitioning method for actinides and fission products in high-level radioactive waste. This process is based on the sequential solvent extraction. In order to recover Cs and Sr for the management by interim storage, crown ether compounds are employed. For the removal of Pd and Mo due to production of a stable vitrified object, methylimino-dioctylacetamide (MIDOA) is taken as an extractant. DGA can extract both actinides and trivalent lanthanides. In order to separate each other, dietylenetriamine-triacetic-diamide (DTBA) for the stripping reagent of MA. For the mutual separation of Am/Cm, DGA and DOODA extraction system is taken into consideration.

Multi-stage extraction and separation of Ln and An using TODGA and DTBA or DTPA accompanying pH adjustment with lactic acid and ethylenediamine

Sasaki, Yuji; Kaneko, Masashi; Ban, Yasutoshi; Matsumiya, Masahiko*; Nakase, Masahiko*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Separation Science and Technology, 57(16), p.2543 - 2553, 2022/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2022.2080707

The mutual separation of actinides (An) from lanthanides (Ln) using the masking agent of DTPA (diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid) or DTBA (diethylenetriamine-triacetic acid-bis(diethylacetamide)) in the aqueous phase through DGA extraction, referring TALSPEAK method, is focused. We investigate to obtain the same separation performance using commercially available DTPA on that using DTBA. In this work, we select lactic acid (LA) of pH buffer from 10 organic acids and ethylenediamine (ED) for the pH adjustment. Almost the same D and SF values are obtained among the conditions: TODGA-DTPA-LA-NaOH, TODGA-DTPA-LA-ED, and TODGA-DTBA-LA. The experimental results using batchwise multi-stage extractions show the average yields of Ln (La to Gd) and Am to be 3.73 and 98.1% in the aqueous phase using DGA-DTPA-LA-ED, to be 3.1 and 97.0% using DGA-DTPA-LA-NaOH, and to be 1.61 and 98.7% using DGA-DTBA-LA.

Separation of light and middle lanthanides using multistage extraction with diglycolamide extractant

Matsutani, Takafumi; Sasaki, Yuji; Katsuta, Shoichi*

Analytical Sciences, 37(11), p.1603 - 1609, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.21P120

We investigated the chemical behavior of lanthanides (Ln) using diglycolamide extractant with multistage extraction. We obtained the breakthrough curves for light and middle Ln. Our study reveals that the metal extraction limit depends on their values and metal concentrations used in the experiments. From the multistage extractions of 15 aqueous phases and 15 organic phases, three curves (extraction curves, back-extraction curves, and separation curves) were obtained by changing the nitric acid concentration. As an example, under a condition of the separation curve experiment (aqueous phase: 0.5 M HNO, organic phase: 0.1 M TDDGA (-tetradecyl-diglycolamide) in -dodecane), a recovery of more than 99% of Sm in the organic phase with less than 1% Nd can be obtained.

Evaluation of the mass transfer coefficients for the minor actinide separation; Evaluation by the single drop method

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

JAEA-Research 2021-003, 30 Pages, 2021/06

JAEA-Research-2021-003.pdf:1.81MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been developing a solvent extraction process called SELECT to recover minor actinides (MA) from spent nuclear fuel. In the SELECT process, TDdDGA, HONTA, and ADAAM are used as the extractants for MA + Ln corecovery, MA/Ln separation and Am/Cm separation, respectively. These extractants do not contain phosphorus (P), and consist of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and nitrogen (N). In this study, in order to give beneficial information for designing flowsheet, the mass transfer coefficients of Ln between HNO solution and TDdDGA or HONTA / n-dodecane solvent were evaluated by the single drop technique. Prior to the evaluation of mass transfer coefficient, we had optimized the structure of the single drop apparatus to improve accuracy of the measurement. Based on the mass transfer coefficients obtained in HNO / TDdDGA-n-dodecane system, Ln behaviors in the counter-current extraction and back-extraction using mixer-settlers and centrifugal contactors were estimated by simple calculation, and they had a good agreement with our previous experimental results. We also confirmed the mass transfer coefficients of Ln in HNO / HONTA - n-dodecane system are under 10 m/s.

Trichotomic separation of light and heavy lanthanides and Am by batchwise multi-stage extractions using TODGA

Matsumiya, Masahiko*; Tsuchida, Yusuke*; Sasaki, Yuji; Ono, Ryoma*; Nakase, Masahiko*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 327(1), p.597 - 607, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07464-3

To achieve trichotomic separation of light lanthanides (Ln), heavy Ln, and Am, batchwise multi-stage extractions using tetraoctyl-diglycolamide (TODGA) extractant from organic acids are studied. Malonic acid (MA) has high solubility in water and is used as the main component of the aqueous phase. It is clear that the separation factor (SF) for Nd/Am from MA and that for La/Am from MA + HNO are both around 30. The light Ln (e.g., La and Ce) flowed-out in 1 M MA+0.05 M HNO (1st soln.), Am is recovered into 3 M MA (2nd soln.), and middle and heavy Ln (Nd and other heavy Ln) are back-extracted into 0.1 M TEDGA/water (3rd soln.). This extraction method can give 95% recovery of Am with total Ln of less than 16% present in high-level radioactive waste.

Study on the mechanism of radiolytic degradation of an extractant for minor actinides separation

Toigawa, Tomohiro; Murayama, Rin*; Kumagai, Yuta; Yamashita, Shinichi*; Suzuki, Hideya; Ban, Yasutoshi; Matsumura, Tatsuro

UTNL-R-0501, p.24 - 25, 2020/12

This report summarizes the results obtained in FY2019 at Electron Linac Facility of University of Tokyo. The radiolysis process of a diglycolamide extractant, which is expected to be used in the separation process of minor actinides (MA), in dodecane and octanol solutions was investigated by pulse radiolysis. As a result, it was suggested that by adding alcohol, the decomposition process of the diglycolamide extractant was different from the decomposition processes in the single solvent of dodecane considered that the decomposition occurred via a radical cation species of the extractant.