Extraction process technology for the new reprocessing plants in France and Japan

The new reprocessing plants UP3 and UP2 800 in France and in Rokkasho, Japan use or will use an improved technology for their extraction cycles. The equipments selected are pulsed columns (cylindrical and annular) and mixer-settlers (normal type and extra-flat type). In this paper, the equipment selected for each plant and the extensive research and development performed especially for pulsed columns by CEA are reported. Also the results of the first active run in the UP3 are presented. The equipment is generally identical for the three plants except ordinary mixer-settlers are used for partition in the UP3 and annular pulsed columns have been selected for the UP2 800 and Rokkasho. The extraction facilities of the three new plants use widely pulsed columns, which have been successfully used in France for the pilot and industrial plants. The design and operating conditions of pulsed columns have been determined by the research and diversified experiments for many years. Mixer-settlers are used mainly for uranium cycles, solvent regeneration units and plutonium barrier. (K.I.)