Demonstration of a SANEX process in centrifugal contactors using the CyMe4-BTBP molecule on a genuine fuel solution
Journal article, 2009

Efficient recovery of minor actinides from a genuine spent fuel solution has been successfully demonstrated by the CyMe4-BTBP/DMDOHEMA extractant mixture dissolved in octanol. The continuous countercurrent process, in which actinides(III) were separated from lanthanides(III), was carried out in laboratory centrifugal contactors using an optimized flow-sheet involving a total of 16 stages. The process was divided into 9 stages for extraction from a 2 M nitric acid feed solution, 3 stages for lanthanide scrubbing, and 4 stages for actinide back-extraction. Excellent feed decontamination factors for Am (7000) and Cm (1000) were obtained and the recoveries of these elements were higher than 99.9%. More than 99.9% of the lanthanides were directed to the raffinate except Gd for which 0.32% was recovered in the product.

Solvent extraction

SANEX

CyMe4-BTBP process

Minor actinides

Partitioning

Author

Daniel Magnusson

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Nuclear Chemistry

B. Christiansen

European Commission (EC)

Mark Foreman

Nuclear Chemistry

University of Reading

A. Geist

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

J. P. Glatz

European Commission (EC)

R. Malmbeck

European Commission (EC)

G. Modolo

Jülich Research Centre

D. Serrano-Purroy

European Commission (EC)

C. Sorel

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange

0736-6299 (ISSN) 1532-2262 (eISSN)

Vol. 27 2 97-106

DOI

10.1080/07366290802672204

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Latest update

3/10/2025