Hanford Plutonium Reclamation process

Plutonium Scrap Processing. In addition to recovering plutonium from irradiated reactor fuel, a Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF)( 7,8) is operated at the Hanford site to recover, separate, and purTfy kilogram amounts of plutonium from a wide range of unirradiated scrap materials. A 20 percent TBP-CC1 k solution is used to extract Pu(IV) from HN03-HF-A1(N03)3 solutions of dissolved scrap. 

In the early years of plutonium scrap processing operations, the CAW stream was routed to trenches(1 ) specially excavated in Hanford soil. Batch recovery of americium was started in 1965. Later (1970-1976), a continuous countercurrent solvent extraction process employing DBBP (dibutylbutyl phosphonate) as the extractant was operated to recover, at least partially, plutonium and americium values from the CAW stream. Aqueous waste from the DBBP extraction process, still containing some plutonium and americium, was blended with other Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) wastes, made alkaline, and routed to underground tanks for storage. 

In April of 1955, a facility utilizing the Recuplex solvent extraction process(2j was installed in the 234-5Z Building at Hanford. This facility provided the capability of recovering plutonium from unirradiated plutonium scrap from Hanford plutonium processing operations. By 1960, the Recuplex facility was inadequate with respect to contemplated production loads, shielding requirements, and criticality prevention safety. A project was authorized in March 1961 to provide a new facility for the adequate reclamation of plutonium from both wet and dry plutonium scrap generated from both on and offsite operations. This facility, the 236-Z Building, was completed in June 1964 and is referred to as the PRF. Details on the new plant were first published in 1967.(2)... 

Figure 11.22 presents a scheme of typical plutonium recovery operations. The Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) [Rl] at Hanford incorporates many of these options. Geometrically favorable process equipment and storage tanks are used to ensure criticality safety. 

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