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Latest News
Argonne research aims to improve nuclear fuel recycling and metal recovery
Servis
Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory are investigating a used nuclear fuel recycling technology that could lead to a scaled-down and more efficient approach to metal recovery, according to a recent news article from the lab. The research, led by Argonne radiochemist Anna Servis with funding from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E), could have an impact beyond the nuclear fuel cycle and improve other high-value metal processing, such as rare earth recovery, according to Argonne.
The research: Servis’s work is being carried out under ARPA-E’s CURIE (Converting UNF Radioisotopes Into Energy) program. The specific project—Radioisotope Capture Intensification Using Rotating Packed Bed Contactors—started in 2023 and is scheduled to end in January 2026.
Toshihiko Yamanishi, Hideki Kakiuchi, Hiroshi Tauchi, Tokuhiro Yamamoto, Ichiro Yamamoto
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 76 | Number 4 | May 2020 | Pages 430-438
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2020.1716454
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A series of discussions on tritiated water of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FD-NPS) was carried out. A large amount of contaminated water has been generated in FD-NPS. Radioisotopes in the contaminated water have been removed except tritium, and thus, tritiated water has been left and stored. As of March 2019, 1 126 500 m3 of tritiated water has been stored in tanks. The average tritium concentration in the tritiated water is 1000 Bq/cm3.
Various options for handling the tritiated water, such as discharge into the sea, geosphere injection, underground burial, and vapor or hydrogen release with and without pretreatment, were discussed on the basis that there is no scientific impact on people. Through the discussions, 11 options for handling tritiated water were summarized. At the same time, some experimental tests of tritium separation (with small-scale and/or full-scale component test stands) were also carried out. As a result, it was concluded that the tested separation technologies could not yet be applied to the case of FD-NPS. No selection from the 11 options has yet been recommended, and further discussions for the tritiated water have continued with public hearings.
