Recent developments in MA recovery at ITU

I&EC 248

Jean-Paul Glatz, Birgit Christiansen, Rikard Malmbeck, Jerome Serp, and Daniel Serrano-Purroy. Hot Cell Technology, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, Post fach 2340, Karlsruhe, 76125, Germany
One of the key issues in partitioning for transmutation purposes is the selective recovery of actinides (An), in particular minor actinides (MA) such as Am and Cm, from lanthanides (Ln). At ITU, this separation is being investigated by aqueous and pyrochemical reprocessing techniques. MA recovery from genuine fuel solutions has been demonstrated by advanced aqueous reprocessing in the so-called DIAMEX-SANEX concept. Pyrochemical studies have concentrated on the recovery of MA by electrolysis onto solid and liquid cathodes in molten chloride salts. This work describes the developments and the results achieved in MA partitioning research at ITU.