Regeneration and Recycle of Spent Oxide Reduction Solvent Salts Used in Pyrochemical Plutonium Recovery Operations at Los Alamos

摘要

One method used at Los Alamos for producing plutonium metal is to chemically reduce the oxide with calcium metal in molten CaCl sub 2 at 850 deg C. The solvent CaCl sub 2 from this reduction step is currently discarded as low-level radioactive waste because it is saturated with the reaction by-product, CaO. We have developed and demonstrated a molten salt technique for rechlorinating the CaO, thereby regenerating the CaCl sub 2 and incorporating solvent recycle into the batch PuO sub 2 reduction process. We discuss results from salt regeneration and recycle experiments, and present our plans for incorporating the technique into an advanced design for semi-continuous plutonium metal production. (ERA citation 11:029294)