Process for radioisotope recovery and system for implementing same
View Patent ↗A method of recovering daughter isotopes from a radioisotope mixture. The method comprises providing a radioisotope mixture solution comprising at least one parent isotope. The at least one parent isotope is extracted into an organic phase, which comprises an extractant and a solvent. The organic phase is substantially continuously contacted with an aqueous phase to extract at least one daughter isotope into the aqueous phase. The aqueous phase is separated from the organic phase, such as by using an annular centrifugal contactor. The at least one daughter isotope is purified from the aqueous phase, such as by ion exchange chromatography or extraction chromatography. The at least one daughter isotope may include actinium-225, radium-225, bismuth-213, or mixtures thereof. A liquid-liquid extraction system for recovering at least one daughter isotope from a source material is also disclosed.
1. A method of recovering at least one daughter isotope from a radioisotope mixture, comprising:
providing a radioisotope mixture solution comprising at least one parent isotope;
extracting the at least one parent isotope into an organic phase;
substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with an aqueous phase;
substantially continuously extracting at least one daughter isotope into the aqueous phase; and
purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing an acidic solution comprising uranium and thorium.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising uranium and thorium and having a nitric acid concentration ranging from approximately 2 M to approximately 6 M.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising uranium and thorium and having a nitric acid concentration ranging from approximately 3 M to approximately 5 M.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing a breeder reactor fuel that comprises uranium and thorium.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing a breeder reactor fuel that comprises at least one of uranium-232, uranium-233, thorium-228, thorium-229, thorium-232, and mixtures thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase using an annular centrifugal contactor.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase that comprises an extractant selected from the group consisting of n-tributyl phosphate, dibutyl phosphate, di-n-amyl-n-amylphosphonate, dibutyl butyl phosphonate, butyl dibutyl phosphinate, dibutyl cyclohexyl phosphonate, dibutyl chloromethyl phosphonate, tri(4-methylpentyl-2)phosphate, butyl phosphonate, di(4-methylpentyl-2)butyl phosphonate, di(4-methylpentyl-2)isobutyl phosphonate, di(4-methylpentyl-2)propyl phosphonate, and di(2-ethylbutyl)2-ethylbutyl phosphonate.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase that comprises an extractant present from approximately 0.5 M to approximately 2.0 M.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase that comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of benzene, carbon tetrachloride, isopropyl ether, 1-octanol, 2-ethyl hexanol, 1-decanol, 1-octanoic acid, methyl isobutylketone, p-diisopropylbenzene, dodecane, n-heptane, a normal paraffinic hydrocarbon solvent, an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent, and kerosene.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with the aqueous phase comprises substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with the aqueous phase that comprises from approximately 2 M to approximately 6 M nitric acid.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with the aqueous phase comprises substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with the aqueous phase that comprises from approximately 3 M to approximately 5 M nitric acid.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein substantially continuously extracting the at least one daughter isotope into the aqueous phase comprises substantially continuously extracting the at least one daughter isotope into the aqueous phase using an annular centrifugal contactor.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises purifying the at least one daughter isotope by ion exchange chromatography or extraction chromatography.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises purifying at least one of actinium-225, radium-225, and mixtures thereof from the first aqueous phase.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises removing the aqueous phase from a liquid-liquid extraction system and replacing the aqueous phase in the liquid-liquid extraction system with another aqueous phase.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises removing tramp organics from the aqueous phase by extracting the tramp organics with an immiscible alcohol.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises sorbing actinium-225 onto a diglycolamide resin, wherein the diglycolamide resin comprises a tetraalkyldiglycolamide extractant coated on inert support particles.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein sorbing actinium-225 onto the diglycolamide resin comprises sorbing the actinium-225 onto the diglycolamide resin comprising N,N,N′,N′-tetra-N-alkyl-3-oxopentanediamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetra-n-octyl diglycolamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetra-(2-ethyl hexyl)-3-oxopentanediamide, or mixtures thereof as the tetraalkyldiglycolamide extractant.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recovering the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase.
21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling the at least one daughter isotope to decay to at least one subsequent daughter isotope and recovering the at least one subsequent daughter isotope.
22. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling actinium-225 to decay to bismuth-213 and recovering the bismuth-213.
23. A method of recovering at least one daughter isotope from a radioisotope mixture, comprising:
providing a radioisotope mixture solution comprising at least one parent isotope;
contacting the radioisotope mixture solution with an organic phase;
extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase;
separating the organic phase enriched in the at least one parent isotope from the radioisotope mixture solution depleted in the at least one parent isotope;
substantially continuously contacting the organic phase enriched in the at least one parent isotope with an aqueous phase;
substantially continuously extracting at least one daughter isotope into the aqueous phase;
separating the organic phase enriched in the at least one parent isotope from the aqueous phase enriched in the at least one daughter isotope; and
purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising uranium and thorium.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing an acidic solution comprising uranium and thorium and having a nitric acid concentration ranging from approximately 2 M to approximately 6 M.
26. The method of claim 23 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing an acidic solution comprising uranium and thorium and having a nitric acid concentration ranging from approximately 3 M to approximately 5 M.
27. The method of claim 23 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising the at least one parent isotope comprises providing a breeder reactor fuel that comprises uranium and thorium.
28. The method of claim 23 , wherein providing the radioisotope mixture solution comprising at least one parent isotope comprises providing a breeder reactor fuel that comprises at least one of uranium-232, uranium-233, thorium-228, thorium-229, thorium-232, and mixtures thereof.
29. The method of claim 23 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase using an annular centrifugal contactor.
30. The method of claim 23 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase that comprises an extractant selected from the group consisting of n-tributyl phosphate, dibutyl phosphate, di-n-amyl-n-amylphosphonate, dibutyl butyl phosphonate, butyl dibutyl phosphinate, dibutyl cyclohexyl phosphonate, dibutyl chloromethyl phosphonate, tri(4-methylpentyl-2) phosphate, butyl phosphonate, di(4-methylpentyl-2)butyl phosphonate, di(4-methylpentyl-2)isobutyl phosphonate, di(4-methylpentyl-2)propyl phosphonate, and di(2-ethylbutyl)2-ethylbutyl phosphonate.
31. The method of claim 23 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase that comprises an extractant present from approximately 0.5 M to approximately 2.0 M.
32. The method of claim 23 , wherein extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase comprises extracting the at least one parent isotope into the organic phase that comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of benzene, carbon tetrachloride, isopropyl ether, 1-octanol, 2-ethyl hexanol, 1-decanol, 1-octanoic acid, methyl isobutylketone, p-diisopropylbenzene, dodecane, n-heptane, a normal paraffinic hydrocarbon solvent, an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent, and kerosene.
33. The method of claim 23 , wherein substantially continuously contacting the organic phase enriched in the at least one parent isotope with the aqueous phase comprises substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with the aqueous phase that comprises from approximately 2 M to approximately 6 M nitric acid.
34. The method of claim 23 , wherein substantially continuously contacting the organic phase enriched in the at least one parent isotope with the aqueous phase comprises substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with the aqueous phase that comprises from approximately 3 M to approximately 5 M nitric acid.
35. The method of claim 23 , wherein substantially continuously extracting the at least one daughter isotope into the aqueous phase comprises substantially continuously extracting the at least one daughter isotope into the aqueous phase using an annular centrifugal contactor.
36. The method of claim 23 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises purifying the at least one daughter isotope by ion exchange chromatography or extraction chromatography.
37. The method of claim 23 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises purifying at least one of actinium-225, radium-225, and mixtures thereof from the first aqueous phase.
38. The method of claim 23 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises removing tramp organics from the aqueous phase by extracting the tramp organics with an immiscible alcohol.
39. The method of claim 23 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises sorbing actinium-225 onto a diglycolamide resin, wherein the diglycolamide resin comprises a tetraalkyldiglycolamide extractant coated on inert support particles.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein sorbing actinium-225 onto the diglycolamide resin comprises sorbing the actinium-225 onto the diglycolamide resin comprising N,N,N′,N′-tetra-N-alkyl-3-oxopentanediamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetra-n-octyl diglycolamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetra-(2-ethyl hexyl)-3-oxopentanediamide, or mixtures thereof as the tetraalkyldiglycolamide extractant.
41. The method of claim 23 , wherein purifying the at least one daughter isotope from the aqueous phase comprises removing the first aqueous phase from a liquid-liquid extraction system and replacing the aqueous phase in the liquid-liquid extraction system with another aqueous phase.
42. The method of claim 23 , further comprising enabling the at least one daughter isotope to decay to at least one subsequent daughter isotope and recovering the at least one subsequent daughter isotope.
43. The method of claim 23 , further comprising enabling actinium-225 to decay to bismuth-213 and recovering the bismuth-213.