MOX Co-deposition Tests at RIAR for SF Reprocessing Optimization

Abstract

The Oxide Electrowinning method has been studied as one of the candidate dry reprocessing concepts of the future fuel cycle systems. On the MOX co-deposition process, the main process of that method, some fundamental experiments have been performed to confirm its feasibility. In the experiments, several parameters were set to study the suitable electrolysis condition to obtain desired granule of MOX. The concentrations of uranium, plutonium, fission products(FP) simulators, and corrosion products(CP) simulators were adopted as the parameters. The blowing gas composition (O2, Cl2, Ar) during the electrolysis was also set as the variable condition. Through these experiments, it was clarified that the partial pressure of chlorine gas during electrolysis was important to obtain MOX granule with high Pu concentration (about 30%) without generating bottom precipitation in melt. Finally, adequacy of the process control method for MOX co-electrolysis was confirmed through the test using spent fast reactor(FR) fuel.