Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten Salt

Considering the necessity of the development of methods to reduce the burden of storage and disposal of high-level radioactive waste, in this study, we propose a nuclide separation technique using molten salt immersion. The dissolution behavior of simulated spent nuclear fuels (SSFs) immersed in a L...

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Main Authors: Sang-Kwon Lee, Sung-Wook Kim, Jun-Hyuk Jang, Min Ku Jeon, Eun-Young Choi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9048775
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author Sang-Kwon Lee
Sung-Wook Kim
Jun-Hyuk Jang
Min Ku Jeon
Eun-Young Choi
author_facet Sang-Kwon Lee
Sung-Wook Kim
Jun-Hyuk Jang
Min Ku Jeon
Eun-Young Choi
author_sort Sang-Kwon Lee
collection DOAJ
description Considering the necessity of the development of methods to reduce the burden of storage and disposal of high-level radioactive waste, in this study, we propose a nuclide separation technique using molten salt immersion. The dissolution behavior of simulated spent nuclear fuels (SSFs) immersed in a LiCl-KCl-UCl3 (LKU) molten salt at 500°C was investigated using a combination of thermodynamic and experimental studies. Surrogates of transuranic elements (TRUs), that is, rare earth elements (REs), in the SSFs were dissolved into the molten salt without any damage to the UO2 structure of the SSFs. The results suggest that the LKU salt technique can be used to separate REs and, potentially, TRUs from actual spent nuclear fuels (SNFs). It is thought that this technique is advantageous over the conventional TRU recovery techniques because the majority of the SNFs (i.e., UO2) remained stable, thus reducing the process burden. Several SNF treatment process options using this technique were suggested. This study will serve as a guide for future studies on the management of high-level waste discharged from nuclear reactors.
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publishDate 2021-01-01
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series Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
spelling doaj-art-d4a7c0da54ab4d5ea6e68b349f9970f32025-08-20T03:23:48ZengWileyScience and Technology of Nuclear Installations1687-60832021-01-01202110.1155/2021/9048775Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten SaltSang-Kwon Lee0Sung-Wook Kim1Jun-Hyuk Jang2Min Ku Jeon3Eun-Young Choi4Korea Atomic Energy Research InstituteKorea Atomic Energy Research InstituteKorea Atomic Energy Research InstituteKorea Atomic Energy Research InstituteKorea Atomic Energy Research InstituteConsidering the necessity of the development of methods to reduce the burden of storage and disposal of high-level radioactive waste, in this study, we propose a nuclide separation technique using molten salt immersion. The dissolution behavior of simulated spent nuclear fuels (SSFs) immersed in a LiCl-KCl-UCl3 (LKU) molten salt at 500°C was investigated using a combination of thermodynamic and experimental studies. Surrogates of transuranic elements (TRUs), that is, rare earth elements (REs), in the SSFs were dissolved into the molten salt without any damage to the UO2 structure of the SSFs. The results suggest that the LKU salt technique can be used to separate REs and, potentially, TRUs from actual spent nuclear fuels (SNFs). It is thought that this technique is advantageous over the conventional TRU recovery techniques because the majority of the SNFs (i.e., UO2) remained stable, thus reducing the process burden. Several SNF treatment process options using this technique were suggested. This study will serve as a guide for future studies on the management of high-level waste discharged from nuclear reactors.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9048775
spellingShingle Sang-Kwon Lee
Sung-Wook Kim
Jun-Hyuk Jang
Min Ku Jeon
Eun-Young Choi
Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten Salt
Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
title Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten Salt
title_full Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten Salt
title_fullStr Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten Salt
title_full_unstemmed Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten Salt
title_short Dissolution Behavior of Simulated Spent Nuclear Fuel in LiCl-KCl-UCl3 Molten Salt
title_sort dissolution behavior of simulated spent nuclear fuel in licl kcl ucl3 molten salt
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9048775
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AT junhyukjang dissolutionbehaviorofsimulatedspentnuclearfuelinliclkclucl3moltensalt
AT minkujeon dissolutionbehaviorofsimulatedspentnuclearfuelinliclkclucl3moltensalt
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