Electrolytic reduction rate of porous UO2 pellets

• Published in: The Korean journal of chemical engineering Vol. 33; no. 7; pp. 2235 - 2239
• Main Authors: Jeon, Min Ku, Choi, Eun-Young, Kim, Sung-Wook, Lee, Sang-Kwon, Kang, Hyun Woo, Hong, Sun Seok, Lee, Jeong, Hur, Jin-Mok, Jeon, Sang-Chae, Lee, Ju Ho, Cho, Yung-Zun, Ahn, Do-Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-07-2016; 한국화학공학회
• Subjects: Biotechnology; Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Industrial Chemistry; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Materials Science; Polymer; 화학공학; Electrolytic Reduction; Reaction Model; Reaction Rate; Uranium Dioxide; Pyroprocessing
• ISSN: 0256-1115; 1975-7220
• DOI: 10.1007/s11814-016-0077-7

The electrolytic reduction rate of porous UO
2
pellets in a LiCl salt was investigated for various applied charges. The degree of reduction (
α
) value was evaluated from the ratios of cross-sectional areas of the reduced and oxide parts. An analysis of the experimental results revealed that the first-order reaction model is the best geometry function to describe the reduction reaction. An electrolytic reduction rate equation was proposed using the first-order model, although it was available in a limited region of (0≤
α
≤0.56). A power law based reaction rate equation was also suggested for the whole range of
α
, and the reaction time for a complete reduction, estimated using the power law equation, was confirmed through the experimental results. Changes in the Li-Li
2
O concentration around the reduced pellets for various applied charges were also measured, which increased up to 23 wt% with increasing
α
.