Specialized Mixer-Settler Equipment

Special safety constraints apply to equipment selection, design, and operation in nuclear reprocessing (269). Equipment should be reHable and capable of remote control and operation for long periods with minimal maintenance. Pulsed columns and remotely operated mixer—settlers are commonly used (270). The control of criticaHty and extensive monitoring of contamination levels must be included in the process design. 

Apart from the extraction equipment itself, columns, mixer-settlers, or centrifugal extractors, the remainder of the plant is usually fairly conventional. It is usually necessary to provide vessels for conditioning the feed solution to the correct acidity or for correcting the concentrations of the principal solute or other salts. This may be carried out continuously or in special batch conditioning vessels. In the latter case, batch feed vessels will also no doubt be required. 

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