Purex co-processing of spent LWR fuels: flow sheet

Zabunoglu O., Ozdemir L.

ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY, vol.32, no.2, pp.151-162, 2005 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 32 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2005
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.anucene.2004.07.015
  • Journal Name: ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.151-162
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Purex co-processing of spent LWR fuel is investigated. In purex co-processing, uranium and plutonium in spent fuel are processed and recovered together as a single stream, while in standard purex reprocessing uranium and plutonium are obtained as separate streams. A two-step (co-decontamination and co-stripping) flow sheet for purex co-processing is devised; concentrations, recoveries and decontamination factors are calculated; and methods to co-convert uranium-plutonium nitrate to mixed oxide are reviewed. A closed nuclear fuel cycle in which at no point uranium and plutonium are separated from each other is reached. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.