Abstract
The electrochemical reduction process for spent oxide fuel is operated in a molten salt bath and adopts an integrated cathode in which the oxides to be reduced act as a reactive cathode in the molten salt electrolyte cell. Heat-generating radioisotopes in the spent oxide fuel such as cesium and strontium are dissolved in the molten salt and diffuse from the integrated cathode. However, the behavior of the dissolved cations has not been clarified under an electrochemical reduction condition. In this work, the reduction potentials of cesium, strontium, and barium were measured in a molten LiCl-3 wt% Li2O salt and their mass transfer behavior was compared with two current conditions on the cell. The concentration changes of the cations in the molten salt phase were measured and no significant differences on the dissolution behavior were found with respect to the current. However, under a continued current condition, the removal of the high heat-generating elements requires more time than the complete reduction of metal oxide due to the slow rate of diffusion.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Y. I. Chang, Nucl. Technol., 88, 129 (1989).
C.C. McPheeters, R. D. Pierce and T. P. Mulcahey, Progress Nucl. Energy, 31, 175 (1997).
E. J. Karell, R. D. Pierce and T. P. Mulcahey, Treatment of oxide spent fuel using the lithium reduction, ANL Report, ANL/CMT/CP-89562, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, U.S.A. (1996).
T. Usami, M. Kurata, T. Inoue, H. E. Sims, S. A. Beetham and J. A. Jenkins, J. Nucl. Mater., 300, 15 (2002).
T. Usami, T. Kato, M. Kurata, T. Inoue, H. E. Sims, S.A. Beetham and J. A. Jenkins, J. Nucl. Mater., 304, 50 (2002).
G. Z. Chen, D. J. Fray and T.W. Farthing, Nature, 407, 361 (2000).
D. J. Fray, J. Metals, 53, 26 (2001).
J.-M. Hur, C.-S. Seo, S.-S. Hong, D.-S. Kang and S.W. Park, React. Kinet. Catal. Lett., 80, 217 (2003).
S. M. Jeong, S.-B. Park, S.-S. Hong, C.-S. Seo and S.-W. Park, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 268, 349 (2006).
C. S. Seo, S.B. Park, B.H. Park, K. J. Jung, S.W. Park and S.H. Kim, J. Nucl. Sci. Technol., 43, 587 (2006).
K. Gourishankar, L. Redey and M. Williamson, Electrolytic reduction of metal oxides in molten salts, Light Metals 2002 (2002).
M. Kurata, T. Inoue, J. Serp, M. Ougier and J. P. Glatz, J. Nucl. Mater., 328, 97 (2004).
S. Herrmann, S. Li and M. Simpson, J. Nucl. Sci. Technol., 44, 361 (2007).
S.W. Park, H. S. Park, C. S. Seo, J. M. Hur and Y. S. Hwang, Proc. 3rd Korea-China Joint Workshop on Management of Nuclear Wastes, Shanghai, China (2002).
B.H. Park, S. B. Park, S.-H. Choi and C. S. Seo, J. Chem. Eng. Jpn., 39, 609 (2006).
HSC Chemistry®, Outotec Research, 2006, Version 6.0.
R. S. Roth, J. R. Dennis and H. F. McMurdie, Phase diagrams for ceramists, The American Ceramic Society (1969).
G.K. Johnson, R.D. Pierce, D. S. Poa and C. C. McPheeters, in: Mishar B., Averill W. A. Ed., Actinide Processing: Methods and Materials, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, TMS, Warrendale, Pennsylvania (1994).
S. B. Park, B.H. Park, S.M. Jeong, J.M. Hur, C.-S. Seo, S.-H. Choi and S.W. Park, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 268, 489 (2006).
C. L. Lloyd and J. B. Gilbert, J. Electrochem. Soc., 141, 2642 (1994).
B. H. Park, I.W. Lee and C.-S. Seo, Chem. Eng. Sci., 63, 3485 (2008).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Park, B.H., Hur, JM. Behavior of diffusing elements from an integrated cathode of an electrochemical reduction process. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 27, 1278–1283 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-010-0191-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-010-0191-x