Electrochemical Decontamination of Metallic Wastes Contaminated with Uranium Compounds in a Neutral Salt Electrolyte

Electrochemical decontamination process has been applied for recycle or self disposal with authorization of large amount of metallic wastes contaminated with uranium compounds such as $UO_2$, ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC), ammonium di-uranate (ADU), and uranyl nitrate(UN) with tributylphosphate(TBP) and dodecane, which are generated by dismantling the contaminated system components and equipment of a retired uranium conversion plant in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Electrochemical decontamination for metallic wastes contaminated with uranium compounds was evaluated through the experiments on the electrolytic dissolution of stainless steel as the material of the system components in neutral salt electrolytes. The effects of type of neutral salt as the electrolyte, current density, and concentration of electrolyte on the dissolution of the materials were evaluated. Decontamination performance tests using the specimens taken from a uranium conversion plant were quite successful with the application electrochemical decontamination conditions obtained through the basic studies on the electrolytic dissolution of structural material of the system components.