• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.207-212
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• 2009

In this study, a thermal behavior of $PrCl_3$ as one of the lanthanide chlorides in LiCl-KCl molten salts was investigated in an oxidizing condition. First, a thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) of $PrCl_3$ was carried out by an injection of $O_2$ gas. Based on the results, an oxidation of $PrCl_3$ in the molten salts was performed by sparging $O_2$ gas with changing temperatures. According to the TGA data of $PrCl_3$, a dissociation of $PrCl_3$ occurred rapidly by about $380^{\circ}C$ and a conversion of $PrCl_3$ to $PrCl_3$ was completed at about $600^{\circ}C$. The thermal behavior of $PrCl_3$ in LiCl-KCl molten salts by sparging $O_2$ gas was similar to that of $PrCl_3$ in the TGA test, and PrOCl as a insoluble compound in the molten salts was precipitated into the bottom of the molten salts. A conversion of $PrCl_3$ to PrOCl in the molten salts occurred actively at a higher temperature than $650^{\circ}C$. And it would be possible to estimate a conversion status of $PrCl_3$ to PrOCl by measuring a $Cl_2$ concentration in a flue gas generated from an oxidation test of $PrCl_3$ in LiCl-KCl molten salts.