Advanced high-throughput electrorefiner design

摘要

A nuclear fuel electrorefiner for recovering uranium from nuclear material containing uranium. A cylindrical vessel with having a longitudinal axis has a product collector movable axially of the vessel. Circular cathodes extend axially of and radially spaced inwardly of the vessel with a plurality of generally polyhedron-shaped anode baskets having at least one face aligned with a radius of said vessel and circumferentially spaced from adjacent anode baskets and concentric with respect to the cathodes in the vessel. A plurality of axially extending metal rods are insulated from and placed between the anode baskets. Mechanism outside of the vessel rotate the anode baskets and the metal rods with respect to the cathodes, and an electrical power supply in selective electrical communication with said cathode and said anode baskets and said metal rods to cause uranium values to move between the and when current flow is in a first direction uranium values in said anode baskets and the metal rods to the cathodes.