Demonstration of a TODGA based Extraction Process for the Partitioning of Minor Actinides from a PUREX Raffinate

Efficient recovery of minor actinides (MA) from genuine PUREX raffinate has been successfully demonstrated by the TODGA + TBP extractant mixture dissolved in an industrial aliphatic solvent TPH. The process was carried out in centrifugal contactors using an optimized flow-sheet involving a total of 32 stages, divided into 4 stages for extraction, 12 stages for scrubbing and 16 stages for back-extraction. Very high feed decontamination factors were obtained (Am, Cm 40 000) and the recovery of these elements was higher than 99.99%. Of the non-lanthanide fission products only Y and a small part of Ru were co-separated into the product fraction together with the lanthanides and the MA. (authors)