Phys.org October 12, 2021
Irradiated graphite waste management is one of the major challenges of nuclear power-plant decommissioning throughout the world and significantly in the UK, France, and Russia. Researchers in the UK developed an electrochemical decontamination approach in a high-temperature molten salt medium which was applied to irradiate UK Magnox grade graphite, fixed on the working electrode immersed in LiCl–KCl eutectic at 723 K. By selecting the appropriate value of the absolute magnitude of current and the number of transitions between positive and negative current, substantial removal of radionuclide contamination from the graphite was achieved. Up to 80% reduction of total initial activity for 60Co was achieved without significant degradation of the graphite material. The magnitude of activity removed from the graphite was sufficient to reclassify the remaining graphite material from intermediate level waste to low level waste…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Abstract. Credit: Energy Environ. Sci., 3 September 2021Â