Ns. Rathore et al., Hollow fiber supported liquid membrane: a novel technique for separation and recovery of plutonium from aqueous acidic wastes, J MEMBR SCI, 189(1), 2001, pp. 119-128
Low plutonium content acidic waste is generated in nuclear chemical facilit
ies. Study was initiated to develop hollow fiber supported liquid membrane
(HFSLM) technique for quantitative separation and recovery of plutonium (Pu
) from such wastes using tri-n-butyle phosphate (TBP) in dodecane as carrie
r Hollow fiber test module was fabricated using 20 lumens of 33.91 cm(2) su
rface area and 9 cm length. After satisfactory testing of the hydrodynamic
condition of the module, it was operated at a flow rate of 3 ml min(-1) on
recycling mode with acidic waste solution containing Pu = 8 mg dm(-3), uran
ium = 15 dm(-3), gross beta (-) = 49.33 mCi dm(-3), gross gamma = 15.73 mCi
dm(-3) and acidity 3 M HNO3. In presence of various fission products, sele
ctive permeation of Pu(IV) through the bundle of hollow fiber test module w
as observed to be more than 90% into a stripping phase consisting 0.1 M NH2
OH . HCl in 0.3 M HNO3. A model is presented to describe the transport mech
anism and to evaluate the mass transfer coefficient. The radiation stabilit
y was also rested by exposing the membrane upto irradiation level of 1 Mrad
. Potentiality of the method for the selective separation of plutonium from
acidic waste is, thus, clearly seen. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri
ghts reserved.