Electrochemical ion separation in molten salts

DWPI Title: Separating contaminants from molten salt involves providing electrochemical cell comprising ion-selective ceramic membrane, purified molten salt electrolyte, cathode, and anode, and applying electrical bias across anode and cathode
Abstract: A purification method that uses ion-selective ceramics to electrochemically filter waste products from a molten salt. The electrochemical method uses ion-conducting ceramics that are selective for the molten salt cations desired in the final purified melt, and selective against any contaminant ions. The method can be integrated into a slightly modified version of the electrochemical framework currently used in pyroprocessing of nuclear wastes.
Use: The method is useful for separating contaminants from molten salt (claimed). It can specifically be used for electrochemical purification of molten metal chloride salts used for nuclear waste remediation.
Advantage: The method can facilitate the rapid removal of contaminants, and can potentially be integrated into the existing electrochemical system currently used for pyroprocessing of nuclear waste.
Novelty: Contaminants are separated from a molten salt by providing an electrochemical cell comprising an ion-selective ceramic membrane, a purified molten salt electrolyte on a cathode side of the ceramic membrane and a contaminated molten salt electrolyte on an anode side of the ceramic membrane, a cathode immersed in a purified molten salt electrolyte on the cathode side of the ceramic membrane, and an anode immersed in a contaminated molten salt electrolyte; and applying an electrical bias across the anode and the cathode.
Filed: 2/26/2016
Application Number: US15054766A
Tech ID: SD 12921.2
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
Data from Derwent World Patents Index, provided by Clarivate
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