PLUTONIUM-238 PRODUCTION CHEMICAL PROCESSING EVALUATIONS

Year
2014
Author(s)
Dennis E. Benker - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
R. M. Wham - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
L. K. Felker - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Abstract
A new supply chain is planned for production of 238Pu using existing reactors at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Idaho National Laboratory and existing chemical recovery facilities at ORNL. A chemical processing flowsheet has been proposed, and limited development work has been conducted to validate the flowsheet. Development studies are in progress to modify and validate neptunium/plutonium recovery processes using existing radiochemical processing equipment.