Computer-assisted design and experimental validation of multielectrode electrorefiner for spent nuclear fuel treatment using a tertiary model

It is important to understand electrochemical phenomena in order to design an electrorefiner system suitable for pyroprocessing, particularly one equipped with complicated electrodes. Computer simulation of the electrochemical cells is an effective tool for the visualization of processing parameters such as the potential distribution, current density, and concentration profile. The electrochemical parameters considered in this study are the exchange current density distribution and electrode arrangement. The application of a numerical model to design an electrorefiner for spent metallic nuclear fuel is discussed with respect to throughput, impurity contamination, and operating mode. A commercial finite element method package was used. In addition, calculations of the tertiary current density and an experimental validation of these results are presented.

► We simulate laboratory scale electrorefiner for spent nuclear fuel.
► 19 kg/24 h of uranium is theoretically attainable with 100 mA/cm2 for 24 h.
► Polarization behaviors of the electrorefiner well agree with simulation results.
► Anodic overpotential is found to be larger than that of cathode.