DAS PUREX VERFAHREN ZUR WIEDERAUFARBEITUNG VON PLUTONIUMREICHEN KERNBRENNSTOFFEN MIT HOHEM ABBRAND

The Purex process was originally developed for the reprocessing of fuel elements of low plutonium content (parts per thousand) and correspondingly low burn-up. The 10 to 100 times higher plutonium content and higher burn-up of power reactor fuels were expected to cause serious difficulties during Purex reprocessing. Therefore, elsewhere alternative reprocessing methods have been developed. The Purex medium, however, shows several favorable chemical properties than those offered by alternative processes. After detailed investigations and development work, typical fuel samples of future reactors have been successfully reprocessed in an adjusted Purex process. The results with kg-amounts of fuels show that good changes exist for reprocessing even future fuels of high plutonium content (15%) and high burn-up (60 MWd/kg) i. e. fast breeder fuels by an adjusted Purex process.