Concept and Feature of Reprocessing Plant by Direct Extraction Method Using Supercritical Fluid

Super-DIREX (Supercritical Fluid Direct Extraction) method is a technology that enables to extract U and Pu directly from decladded spent fuel, using supercritical carbon dioxide. Main process of reprocessing plant for LWR and FBR spent fuel by Super-DIREX method was designed conceptually. The number of main equipments at processes from head end to denitration decreased to about 0.66 times of that of the PUREX plant in case of a capacity of 800 t/y(LWR) and decreased to about 0.43 and 0.66 times in case of 200 t/y(LWR) and 200 t/y(FBR), respectively. The volume of acid liquid waste discharged from main process in the Super-DIREX plant decreased to about 0.2 times of that of PUREX plant in case of a capacity of 800 t/y(LWR). The equipment cost decreased to about 0.26 times of that of PUREX plant in case of 200 t/y(FBR).