Actinides chlorides electrowinning
Abstract
In the frame of the European SACSESS program (Safety of ACtinides SEparation
proceSSes), electrowinning of actinides chlorides was studied in LiCl-KCl (450°C) onto
aluminium and tungsten cathodes in order to evaluate a salt cleaning process for spent
electrorefining salts. In the electrowinning cell, chlorine gas is produced at a glassy
carbon anode while actinides are recovered on the cathode leaving lanthanides (Ln)
fission product in the salt phase by an appropriate control of the cathode potential. This
salt cleaning procedure is developed in SACSESS to assess its potentiality and
drawbacks in terms of Actinide/Lanthanide separation efficiency and residual actinide (or
lanthanide) concentration in the salt after the electrolytic step.
Origin : Files produced by the author(s)