This study proposes a method of separating uranium (U) and minor actinides from rare earth (RE) elements in the LiCl-KCl salt system. Several RE metals were used to reduce UCl3 and MgCl2 from the eutectic LiCl-KCl salt systems. Five experiments were performed on drawdown U and plutonium (Pu) surrogate elements from RECl3-enriched LiCl-KCl salt systems at 773 K. Via the introduction of RE metals into the salt system, it was observed that the UCl3 concentration can be lowered below 100 ppm. In addition, UCl3 was reduced into a powdery form that easily settled at the bottom and was successfully collected by a salt distillation operation. When the RE metals come into contact with a metallic structure, a galvanic interaction occurs dominantly, seemingly accelerating the U recovery reaction. These results elucidate the development of an effective and simple process that selectively removes actinides from electrorefining salt, thus contributing to the minimization of the influx of actinides into the nuclear fuel waste stream.

1. Introduction
2. Experimental
3. Theory
4. Results and Discussion
5. Summary
REFERENCES

• Dalsung Yoon(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
• Seungwoo Paek(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
• Jun-Hyuk Jang(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
• Joonbo Shim(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
• Sung-Jai Lee(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) Corresponding Author