Actinide and rare earth drawdown system for molten salt recycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613823-B2
Application number	US-201916724705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Jul 11, 2016
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A method for recycling molten salt from electrorefining processes, the method having the steps of collecting actinide metal using a first plurality of cathodes from an electrolyte bath, collecting rare earths metal using a second plurality of cathodes from the electrolyte bath, inserting the collected actinide metal and uranium into the bath, and chlorinating the inserted actinide metal and uranium. Also provided is a system for recycling molten salt, the system having a vessel adapted to receive and heat electrolyte salt, a first plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel, a second plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel, an anode positioned within the vessel so as to be coaxially aligned with the vessel, and a vehicle for inserting uranium into the salt.

First claim

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A system for recycling molten salt, the system comprising:
a) a vessel adapted to receive and heat electrolyte salt;
b) a first plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel;
c) a second plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel;
d) an anode positioned within the vessel so as to be coaxially aligned with the vessel, wherein the anode comprises active material positioned coaxial to a cylinder defining an interior void adapted to receive off-gas; and
e) a vehicle for positioning elemental metal within the electrolyte salt.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the vessel further comprises a lid with a first peripheral region defining a first set of apertures to slidably receive the first plurality of cathodes and a second peripheral region defining a second set of apertures to slidably receive the second plurality of cathodes and the anode.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the anode comprises internal passageways to direct fluid to the bottom of the vessel.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second plurality of cathodes circumscribe the anode.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first plurality of cathodes and the second plurality of cathodes are sequentially inserted into the electrolyte salt.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first plurality of cathodes is positioned within the vessel but above the electrolyte salt when the second plurality of cathodes is inserted in the salt.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a basket adapted to be removably submersed in the electrolyte salt.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the anode comprises passageways adapted to receive gas, the passageways formed in longitudinally extending regions of the anode.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 wherein each of said passageways has a proximal end in fluid communication with a gas supply and a distal end positioned beneath the vehicle.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the anode is inert.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first plurality of cathodes facilitates actinide deposition and the second plurality of cathodes facilitates rare earth deposition.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cylinder comprises surfaces defining apertures adapted to allow transport of gas between the vessel and the interior void of the cylinder.

13. A system for recycling molten salt, the system comprising:
a) a vessel adapted to receive and heat electrolyte salt;
b) a first plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel;
c) a second plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel;
d) an anode positioned within the vessel so as to be coaxially aligned with the vessel; and
e) a vehicle for positioning elemental metal within the electrolyte salt, wherein the anode comprises internal passageways to direct fluid to the bottom of the vessel.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the first plurality of cathodes and the second plurality of cathodes are sequentially inserted into the electrolyte salt.

15. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the vehicle is a basket adapted to be removably submersed in the electrolyte salt.

16. A system for recycling molten salt, the system comprising:
a) a vessel adapted to receive and heat electrolyte salt;
b) a first plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel;
c) a second plurality of cathodes adapted to be removably inserted into the vessel;
d) an anode positioned within the vessel so as to be coaxially aligned with the vessel; and
e) a vehicle for positioning elemental metal within the electrolyte salt, wherein the anode comprises passageways adapted to receive gas, the passageways formed in longitudinally extending regions of the anode.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein each of said passageways has a proximal end in fluid communication with a gas supply and a distal end positioned beneath the vehicle.

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Willit James L
• Tylka Magdalena M
• Williamson Mark A
• Wiedmeyer Stanley G
• Figueroa Javier

Classifications

• C25C7/005

  of cells for the electrolysis of melts (C25C7/02 - C25C7/06 take precedence) · CPC title

• C25C7/06

  Operating or servicing · CPC title

• C25D3/66

  from melts · CPC title

• C25C3/34 Primary

  of metals not provided for in groups C25C3/02 - C25C3/32 · CPC title

• G21C19/50

  of irradiated fluid fuel {, e.g. regeneration of fuels while the reactor is in operation} · CPC title