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http://dx.doi.org/10.5516/NET.2011.43.6.547

ANALYSIS OF EQUILIBRIUM METHODS FOR THE COMPUTATIONAL MODEL OF THE MARK-IV ELECTR OREFINER  

Cumberland, Riley (North Carolina State University, Department of Nuclear Engineering)
Hoover, Robert (University of Idaho, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Program, Center for Advanced Energy Studies)
Phongikaroon, Supathorn (University of Idaho, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Program, Center for Advanced Energy Studies)
Yim, Man-Sung (North Carolina State University, Department of Nuclear Engineering)
Publication Information
Nuclear Engineering and Technology / v.43, no.6, 2011 , pp. 547-556 More about this Journal
Abstract
Two computational methods for determining equilibrium states for the Mark-IV electrorefiner (ER) have been assessed to improve the current computational electrorefiner model developed at University of Idaho. Both methods were validated against measured data to better understand their effects on the calculation of the equilibrium compositions in the ER. In addition, a sensitivity study was performed on the effect of specific unknown activity coefficients-including sodium in molten cadmium, zirconium in molten cadmium, and sodium chloride in molten LiCl-KCl. Both computational methods produced identical results, which stayed within the 95% confidence interval of the experimental data. Furthermore, sensitivity to unavailable activity coefficients was found to be low (a change in concentration of less than 3 ppm).
Keywords
Stoichiometric Method; Equilibrium; Computational Model; Mark-IV Electrorefiner; Molten Salt; Cadmium Pool; Zirconium;
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