Augmentation of hot cell facility of MC&MFCG for pyro-processing

Hot cells with inert atmosphere are used for handling air sensitive, hygroscopic and radioactive materials like mixed carbide fuels and for pyro-processing of metallic fuels. Pyroprocessing of spent metal fuels is based on electrochemical recovery of actinides in high temperature molten salts (LiCl-KCl eutectic with 58.5 mol.% LiCl). In order to demonstrate the remote operation feasibility of the electro-refining process of irradiated U-6Zr inside hot cells and also to study the process parameters, a laboratory scale (100g scale) pyro process facility was set-up in hot cells of MC&MFCG. Using this facility, electro refining (ER) of FBTR irradiated U-6Zr(wt%) alloy fuel was successfully demonstrated by remote operation. This experiment is first of its kind in the field of pyro-process and has provided insight into the challenges that need to be encountered when performing ER process with irradiated fuel by remote operation