Technology Options for a Fast Spectrum Test Reactor

Idaho National Laboratory in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory has evaluated technology options for a new fast spectrum reactor to meet the fast-spectrum irradiation requirements for the USDOE Generation IV (Gen IV) and Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) programs. The US currently has no capability for irradiation testing of large volumes of fuels or materials in a fast-spectrum reactor required to support the development of Gen IV fast reactor systems or to demonstrate actinide burning, a key element of the AFCI program. The technologies evaluated and the process used to select options for a fast irradiation test reactor (FITR) for further evaluation to support these programmatic objectives are outlined in this paper

The extraction of rare earth elements from ICPP sodium-bearing waste and dissolved zirconium calcine by CMP and TRUEX solvents

The extraction of stable isotopes of Eu and Ce was investigated from simulated sodium-bearing waste (SBW) and dissolved zirconium calcine by TRUEX and CMP solvents at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP). Single batch contacts were carried out in order to evaluate the rare earth behavior in the extraction, scrub, strip and wash sections for the proposed flowsheets. It has been shown that these lanthanides are efficiently extracted from the sodium-bearing wastes into either solvent, are not scrubbed and are stripped from both of the extractants with dilute HEDPA. The extraction distribution coefficients for Ce and Eu are higher in the TRUEX solvent (D{sub Ce} = 11.7, D{sub Eu} = 14.9) compared with CMP (D{sub Ce} = 9.3, D{sub Eu} = 7.23) for SBW. The extraction distribution coefficients for Ce and Eu are considerably less in the TRUEX solvent (D{sub Ce}=1.13, D{sub Eu}=1.8) than in the CMP solvent (D{sub Ce}=7.4, D{sub Eu=}6.1) for dissolved zirconium calcine feeds. The lower distribution coefficients for the extraction of lanthanides in the TRUEX/dissolved zirconium calcine system can be explained by zirconium loading of the solvent. The data obtained also confirmed that Ce and Eu can be used as non-radioactive surrogates for Am in separation experiments with acidic solutions