Abstract:
The liquid cathod method was used for recovering cerium ion from NaCl-KCl-CeCl
3 molten salt, as simulation experiment of recovering plutonium ion from pyrochemical salt residues. The effects of the initial mass fraction of CeCl
3, temperature and cathod current density (
Dk) on the electrolytic index were studied. The optimum technological conditions were determined. At CeCl
3 initial mass fraction 5%, electrolytic temperature 750 ℃ and
Dk=0.10 A/cm
2, the decontamination coefficient is above 130, and the mass fraction of CeCl
3 in residues is below 0.04%. The results confirm that the liquid cathod method is expected to be used for recovering plutonium ion from pyrochemical salt residues.