PUREXprosessia

PUREX process

The PUREX process is a solvent extraction process for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. It was originally developed in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s by a team of scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The process is based on the extraction of uranium from a nitric acid solution using a mixture of organic solvents.

The PUREX process involves four main stages: pretreatment, extraction, stripping, and precipitation. In the pretreatment stage, the spent nuclear fuel is ground into a fine powder and dissolved in a nitric acid solution. The resulting solution is then passed through a series of extractors, where it comes into contact with a mixture of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and kerosene. The TBP dissolved in the kerosene selectively extracts the uranium from the nitric acid solution. The resulting extract is then passed through a series of strippers, where the uranium is stripped from the TBP and returned to the original solution. The TBP is recovered from the extract and recycled back to the extractors.

The PUREX process has been widely used in the nuclear industry for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. However, it has several disadvantages, including the production of large amounts of radioactive waste and the possibility of nuclear accidents. More modern technologies, such as the UREX+ process, have been developed to address these concerns and provide a more safe and efficient method for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.

The PUREX process was originally developed for the reprocessing of uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear fuel. However, it has also been used for the extraction of other metals and radionuclides from various waste streams.