1. Status of SNF Pyro Reprocessing RIAR, Dimitrovgrad, Russia
SSC Research Institute of Atomic Reactors. RUSSIA
Status of SNF Pyro Reprocessing RIAR, Dimitrovgrad, Russia
Mikhail Kormilitsyn
Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (RIAR)
Radiochemical Complex

2. Closing of FC RIAR General Goal Fuel Supply of BOR-60/MBIR
Radionuclide Productions
Research Reactors
PIE
Fuel Supply of BOR-60/MBIR
Advanced Fuel development and testing
MA recycling
Fundamental Studies
RAW Treatment
Demo of Closed Fuel Cycle
R&D for MSR
Fuel Cycle

3. New Generation Technological Package “Pyro-Chemistry for CFC”
Universal technological platform for decisions in the field of Closed Fuel Cycle of Nuclear Power:
No limitation for:
fuel types (oxides, nitrides, metal, carbides, cermet, MSR, IMF)
burn up,
cooling time
No limitation for requirements of decontamination factor (DF up to 106)

4. New Generation Technological Package “Pyro-Chemistry for CFC”
The Base System – Molten chlorides
The Base processes
Dissolution of initial SNF ( chlorination or anodic dissolution)
Electrolysis on solid and/or liquid cathodes
Precipitation
Purification of the melt
Option – Technology of fluoride volatility
Option – Partitioning in fluoride melt
Option – chemistry and technology of molten fluoride fuel of MSR

5. R&D on SNF Pyro Reprocessing in a World
Oxide SNF reprocessing into Oxide – RIAR (Russia), JNC/JAEA (Japan)
Oxide SNF reprocessing into Metallic – CRIEPI (Japan), KAERI (Korea)
Nitride SNF reprocessing – JAERI/JAEA (Japan), RIAR (Russia)
Metallic SNF reprocessing – INL, ANL (US), CRIEPI (Japan), RIAR (Russia)
SNF metallization – KAERI (Korea), RIAR (Russia)
HLW partitioning in molten salts – CRIEPI (Japan), RIAR (Russia), KAERI (Korea), CEA (France), ITU (EU)
Fluoride volatility processes – CRIEPI, Hitachi/TEPCO (Japan), Kurchatov Inst., RIAR (Russia), INR (Czech. Rep.)
MSR Fuel Cycle – RIAR, Kurchatov Inst., CNRS (France), Institute for Applied Physics, Shanghai (China)
Other application

6. RIAR Experience

7. RIAR activities in the field of CFC
Since 1964 RIAR has been pursuing large-scale investigations in the following research lines:
Pyrochemical production technology of vi-pack U and MOX fuel
Pyrochemical reprocessing of SNF from nuclear reactors of various types .
Fluoride volatility reprocessing of SNF

8. Milestones of Experience in Closed Fuel Cycle
Pyro R&D- from early 1960-s
Demo of fluoride volatility reprocessing – 1970s
Pilot facility for pyro/vi-pack MOX fuel production for fast reactor – from late 1970-s
BOR-60 full scale fuel supplying only on the base of own RIAR pyro/vi-pack fuel production facilities – from 1980
Pyro reprocessing experience – from 1991
Study on transmutation cycle, nitride fuels and others – from 1992
Start of industrial implementation of pyro/vi-pack MOX technology – 2012
Start of so called “high density” FR SNF (nitride, metal)
Creation of “Poly-functional Radiochemical Complex” (PRC)

9. RIAR experience in reprocessing of spent fuel of the BOR-60 and BN-350 reactors
Fuel type
Burn-up
% h.a.
Cooling time, Yrs
Weight, kg
Date
Reactor
UO2
7,7 5
2,5
BN-350
MOX
4,7 10
4,1
1991
21..24
1-2
6,5
1995
BOR-60 15
2000 12
2000…2001 16
4-6
2004
U-Pu /Na
6,4 19
0,13
2010
(U,Pu)N /Pb
0,53 8
0,28
U-Zr / Na
9,7
9,5
0,12
U-Pu-Zr /Na
0,10 4
2011 9

10. Dimitrovgrad Dry Process (DDP) – MOX Fuel Pyro processing
Basic research of the molten salt systems allowed for the development of technological processes for production of granulated U and Pu dioxides and MOX.
A distinctive feature of the Pyro technology is a possibility to perform all the deposit production operations in one apparatus - a chlorinator-electrolyzer
Pyrochemical reprocessing consists of the following main stages
Dissolution of initial products or spent nuclear fuel in molten salts
Recovery of crystaline Pu dioxide or electrolytic MOX from the melt
Processing of the cathode deposit and production of vi-pack

11. Production and testing of vi-pack MOX fuel
Fuel type
Number of FAs
Burn-up, max.%
Load, kW/m
Temperature, 0С
Reactor
(U, Pu)O2
Civil grade/ or
weapon quality
330
30,3
51,5
720
BOR-60
UO2 + PuO2
132
14,8 45
705
Weapon grade 26
11,1 46
680
BN-600
Civil grade 4
development of the production technique

12. DDP MOXPuO2 flow sheet DDP MOXMOX flow sheet
Cathode
(pyrographite)
Stirrer
UO22+ O2
Pu4+
PuO22+ +
UO2
PuO2
UO2 + NpO2
Cl2
Ar (Cl2)
Cl2+O2+Ar
Na3PO4
Fuel chlorination
700 оС
pyrographite bath,
NaCl - KCl
Preliminary electrolysis
680 оС
Precipitation crystallization
Electrolysis-additional 700 оС
Melt purification
Cl-
(MA,REE) RW4
MA,REE
NpO2+
DDP MOXPuO2 flow sheet
Na3PO4
Cl2
Cathode
(pyrographite)
UO22+
UO2 + NpO2
Ar (Cl2) +
Preliminary electrolysis
630 оС
NpO2+
Cl2+O2+Ar
Cl2+O2+Ar
Stirrer
Cathode
Stirrer
pyrographite bath,
NaCl -2CsCl + +
MOX
MOX
MA,REE
Pu4+
Cl-
UO22+
UO22+
PuO2+
UO22+
UO2
PuO2
PuO2+
(MA,REE) RW4
Fuel chlorination
650 оС
Main MOX electrolysis
630 оС
Electrolysis-additional 630 оС
Melt purification
6500 оС
DDP MOXMOX flow sheet

13. MOX-MOX Reprocessing 2000 Year 2004 Year MOX - 3 200 g MOX - 3 400 g
Pu content - 10 % wt.
2004 Year
MOX g
Pu content - 33,5 % wt.

14. * - TOSHIBA estimation for DDP
Pyro HLW treatment
Na3PO4
Radioactive Cs
Salt purification
Pyroreprocessing
Salt residue
Fission products
NaCl
CsCl
Phosphates
NdPO4CePO4
Waste
Phosphates
Salt residue
Special features
contain fission products
Alkaline metal chlorides, high activity, significant heat release
Basic elements
11 wt.% Nd
4,4 wt.% Ce
81,96 wt.% CsCl
18,04 wt.% NaCl
Quantity*
<0,15 kg/kg of fast reactor SNF
<0,03 kg/kg of fast reactor SNF
* - TOSHIBA estimation for DDP

15. Vitrification of HLW from pyro process
Characteristic
HLW type
Phosphate precipitate
Spent salt electrolyte
Phosphate precipitate + spent salt electrolyte
Glass matrix type
Pb(PO3)2
NaPO3
NaPO3, AlF3
Al2O3
Introduction method
vitrification, Т=9500С
vitrification without chloride conversion, Т=9500С
Introduced waste amount, % 28 20 36
137Cs leaching rate as of the 7th day, g/cm2 * day
7*10-6
4*10-6
Thermal resistance, 0С
400
Radiation resistance
107 Gr (for  and ) -decay/g

16. Type of high-level wastes Spent salt electrolyte
Ceramization of HLW arising from pyro process
Characteristics
Type of high-level wastes
Phosphate deposit
Spent salt electrolyte
Type of ceramics
monazite
Cosnarite (NZP)
Method of introduction into ceramics
pressing, calcination , Т=8500С
Conversion to NZP from the melt or aqueous solution, pressing, calcination , Т=10000С
Quantity of waste introduced into ceramics, %
100
30..40
Leaching rate of 137Cs on 7-th day, g/cm2 * day
1*10-6
3*10-6
Thermal stability, 0С
850
1000
Radiation resistance
5*108 Gy( for  and ) - decay/g

17. RIAR R&D PROGRAM DOVITA
Since 1992
Dry technologies
Oxide fuel with MA
Vi-pack
Integrated disposition on the same site with the reactor
TA Transmutation of Actinides

19. Experience in DOVITA Program
Pyrochemical technology of adding Np into oxide fuel (5-20%) has been developed
Performance of vi-pack fuel with (U,Np)O2 fuel has been validated experimentally to ~20% burnup in BOR-60
No evidence of significant difference in performance of fuel rods with (U,Np)O2 fuel compared with UO2 or MOX fuel rods has been noticed
Pyrochemical process of codeposition of Am with MOX fuel (2-4%) has been developed
Methods of Am/REE separation in melts has been tested
Special vi-pack targets containing Am oxide with UO2 or inert matrix have been developed
Transmutation of Np, Am, Cm is being studied in BOR-60
Irradiated (U,Np)O2 fuel, % burn-up

20. New times consideration: DOVITA DOVITA-2
1992
Dry technologies
Oxide fuel with MA
Vi-pack
Integrated disposition same site with the reactor
TA Transmutation of Actinides
2007+
Dry technologies
On-site reprocessing
Various type of fuel with MA
Integration of MA recycling into FR Closed Fuel Cycle
TA - Transmutation of Actinides

21. DOVITA-2 Fuel type/ Stages Oxide vi-pack pellet Nitride Metal Molten
salt
Concept Studies +
+/-
R&D
-/+ -
Fuel Production
Irradiation Testing
PIE
----
Reprocessing
DOVITA-1

22. Current R&D

23. In the Frame of Federal Target Program
For the First Time in a World –
pyrochemical reprocessing
of FBR spent U-Pu
nitride fuel and metal fuel
~ 0,6 kg SF
2 Cd ingots for fabrication of fuel
Oxide concentrate FP for wastes preparation

24. Experimental Tests of Spent Nitride Fuel Reprocessing Methods
The empty pies of cladding after anodic dissolution of nitride SNF in chloride melt
The sample of fluoride-phosphate glass with real immobilized FPs after reprocessing

25. 100% PuO2 Pyro Pellets PuO2 Pellets Characteristics PuO2 Pellets
Melted salt
3LiCl-2KCl
NaCl-2CsCl
Pellets density, g/sm3
Visual view
no cracks
no cracs
PuO2 Pellets
(3LiCl-2KCl, T=450oC)
PuO2 Pellets
(NaCl-2CsCl, T=550oC)

26. 80%UO2 + 20%PuO2 MOX Pyro Pellets
MOX Pellets Characteristics
Batch № 1
Technical Requirements*
Pellet density, g/sm2
Deviation of pellet density, g/sm2
+0.1
O/Me
1.98
Impurities content, % масс.
<0.3
<0.4
Average size of crystalline granules, microns
30-40
< 50
Visual view
no cracks
Porosity
uniform
В том числе и только из диоксида плутония, что представляет трудность для порошков оксалатного происхождения
*Reshetnikov Ph.G. and et al. Working out,
production and operation of fuel rods
of power reactors-M:.Energoizdat, p.

27. Pyro MOX pellets (80%UO2 + 20%PuO2)
Microstructure of MOX pellets
EPMA μm
Content, wt%
Pickled pellet
Unpickled pellet
Solubility test in 8M HNO3 at 95-96оC , duration – 10 hrs.
Composition of pellet
Medium of powder production
Insoluble residue,
% wt.
Residue composition, wt%
80wt%UO2
+20wt%PuO2
3LiCl-2KCl
0.14
(Pu0.81, U0.19)O2
(Pu0.49, U0.51)O2
NaCl-2CsCl
0.40
(U0.65, Pu0.31,Am0.04)O2
Состав частиц- непрерывный ряд твердых растворов оксидов урана и плутония

28. Fuel pin #TM0-01 with pyro MOX pellets
Dismountable BOR-60 FAs

29. Curium containing salt for spectroscopy studies
Fundamental Studies
Curium containing salt for spectroscopy studies
NaCl-2CsCl-CmCl3(0.115mol/kg)

30. Spectrum of curium-containing melt under atmosphere of Ar- HCl-H2O
Cm3+
Am3+
CmO+
NaCl-2CsCl-CmCl3(0.115mol/kg)
750oC
log(P2HCl/PH2O)=-7.14

31. Synchronized potentiometric titration by oxygen pump and spectroscopy
Cavity from optical quartz
Oxygen sensor
Oxygen pump CE RE
Gas-supply tube

32. MA and FP Partitioning Run # T,oC Weight, g Content in melt, % E, V
(Li,K,Cs)Cl Ga Am Ce 1
350
200 95
0.6 3
-1.2 2
-1.4
-1.6
Ga cathod

33. Experimental Facilities till 2020

34. CFC Pyro technology for International RIAR-based Center of Excellence
RIAR Site
Post Irradiation Examination
electricity
Heat power
radionuclides
Post Irradiation complex
R&D on Reprocessing
and Refabrication
of Advanced Fuels
MBIR
MOX or other fuel
RadioWaste
complex
Vi-pack
Вибро
Radiochemical Complex
Отходы на хранение
RAW
MOX
Production Facility
Refabricated Fuel
Pyro
Chemical-Technological complex
Пиро
RIAR Radiochemical Complex

35. Federal Tasks-oriented Program “New Generation Nuclear Power Technologies”
Large Poly-functional Radiochemical Complex (PRC)
Molten salt Reprocessing Facility (1st hot cell line)
capacity – up to 1-2 tons of FR SNF per Year (fuel type: oxide, nitride, metallic, IMF)
Advanced water-technology Facility, (2nd hot cell line)
capacity – up to 1-2 tons kg of SNF per Year
New Lab for Experimental and Innovative Fuel Production – (incl. Fuel and Targets with MA)
New facility for HLW treatment
Demonstration of Closing Fuel Cycle
Testing and Demonstration of Closing FR Fuel Cycle for MA
Develop the full scale Design of Industrial plants for FR SNF Reprocessing

36. List of Advanced R&D for PRC
Testing of prototypes of technological equipment
Development and testing of automatic and robotics systems
Comparative FS for different technologies
Advanced thermo-chemical decladding technologies
Voloxidation
Pyrochemical molten salt technologies
MOX fuel
Mixed Nitrides
Metallic
IMF, MSR
Remote control fabrication technologies
Vi-pack
Pelletizing
RAW treatment
Vitrification
Ceramization

37. 38

38. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION!
RIAR Radiochemical Complex