Chromatography Column System With Controlled Flow and Temperature for Engineering Scale Application

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency is conducting research and development study on the engineering scale extraction chromatography system, which uses silica-based adsorbents impregnated with an extractant for the minor actinides (Am and Cm) recovery from the high level liquid waste generated in the spent fast breeder reactor (FBR) fuel reprocessing, as a part of the fast reactor cycle technology development project. A bench scale testing system was made and provided for the first step of development. The column of the test system (inside diameter of 480 mm or 200 mm with height of 650 mm) was equipped with ports for six external sensors at its top, middle, and bottom levels for measuring the flow velocity or temperature, and for additional six heaters for simulating the decay heat of Am and Cm at the middle level of the column. The flow velocity distribution was almost constant except for the part that is very near the column wall, and it was almost uniform when the liquid flew from top to bottom direction with 4 cm/min of the velocity. The heaters scarcely influenced the temperature profile inside the column when the power applied to the heater simulated the decay heat of Am, Cm, and fission products (FPs). The decay heat generated in the column was transported to the effluents, and the temperature inside the column was kept almost constant.