Pyroprocess Development

Equipment contained in the engineering-scale electrorefiner glovebox is being prepared for a uranium electrorefining performance test.	Uranium dendrites collected during electrorefiner performance test.

This multidisciplinary group employs its expertise in chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science to understand, develop, and engineer innovative, commercially viable electrochemical processes for the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. This work covers the full scope of the nuclear fuel cycle for metal, oxide, carbide and nitride fuels with the development of novel processes for the efficient recovery and recycling of actinides into fresh fuel as well as the stabilization of fission products in robust waste forms. Recent inventions include the development of highly scalable designs for uranium electrorefining and electrolytic oxide reduction systems. In concert with our process development activities, we are also developing and evaluating electroanalytical techniques for use in safeguards systems.

More

• 2012 International Pyroprocessing Research Conference
• Pyroprocessing Technologies: Recycling Used Nuclear Fuel for a Sustainable Energy Future (brochure; pdf)
• Closing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

October 2012