ANODIC PROCESSES OF URANIUM ALLOYS CONTAINING PALLADIUM AND NEODYMIUM IN 3LiCl–2KCl-UCl₃ MELTS

Abstract

At the reprocessing module of the pilot demonstration power complex site of the Siberian Chemical Combine, a combined technological scheme for the reprocessing of mixed nitride uranium-plutonium spent fuel consisting of pyrochemical operations, hydrometallurgical refining of uranium, plutonium and neptunium is implemented step by step. According to this scheme, the target pyrochemical reprocessing products, purified from the main mass of fission products with actinoid content not less than 99.9%, are sent for hydrometallurgical reprocessing. For pyrochemical reprocessing it is necessary to develop a technology of electrorefining of metallised spent nuclear fuel. To carry out electrolytic refining it is necessary to define processes and regimes of anodic dissolution of alloys simulating product of this head operation “metallization”. In the present work the results of investigations of processes of anodic dissolution of U–Pd and U–Pd–Nd model alloys with different concentrations of palladium and neodymium in melts based on 3LiCl–2KCl–UCl3 (10.1 wt % UCl3) at 550°C using different methods are presented. Uranium alloys containing palladium and neodymium were prepared by direct alloying of uranium metal and palladium metal powders of PdAP-1 grade, and neodymium metal (99.99%) in high-purity argon medium (99.998%). Electrochemical measurements were performed using an Autolab 302N potentiostat/halvanostat equipped with a Booster 20A high-current module. The anodic polarisation curves consist of only one oxidation wave which was attributed to the dissolution of uranium metal. Increasing the palladium content in the alloy from 1.5 to 10.0 wt %, does not affect the shape of the polarisation curves. The increase of neodymium content in the alloy from 1.0 to 10.0 wt % also does not affect the shape of polarization curves. Electrorefining parameters of uranium alloys containing palladium and neodymium were determined. The limiting current density of uranium evolution from uranium alloys containing palladium and neodymium in the electrolyte 3LiCl–2KCl–UCl3 (10.1 wt % UCl3) at 550°C was 0.4 A/cm2. It was shown that palladium does not diffuse into the melt as a result of anodic dissolution and neodymium accumulates in the electrolyte only when the alloy is refined with 10.0 wt % neodymium, which is much higher than the future real concentrations of electrotreated uranium alloy components in the technological chain of spent nuclear fuel processing.