METHOD FOR PROCESSING OF ACTIVE NITRATE RAFFINATES PRODUCED BY REGENERATION OF NUCLEAR FUEL Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: processing of waste nuclear fuel. SUBSTANCE: method involves extraction of molybdenum, palladium and zirconium from raffinates, concentration of raffinate after extraction and its subsequent burial. Tri-butyl-phosphate in non-polar solvent is used as extracting agent. Extraction run in presence of acid complex-generating agent which is spread between water and organic phases. Such complex- generating agent may be aliphatic hydroxamic acids which contains 7-9 carbon atoms or their rectified mixes using 0.1 mole per liter concentration. Then organic phase is segregated and second extraction of molybdenum, palladium, zirconium and complex- generating agent is performed by means of treatment of organic phase by alkali solution in order prepare extraction agent for subsequent use. Molybdenum is extracted using concentration of nitric acid of 1-4 mole per liter, palladium and zirconium are extracted using concentration of nitric acid of 1-2 mole per liter. Waste extraction agent of first cycle after processing of wasted fuel may be used as extraction agent for molybdenum and be further returned to cycle after second extraction of said elements. EFFECT: continuous method, use of existing extraction technology. 3 cl, 2 tbl