Experiment design for separation-avoidant fluorination of spent nuclear fuel

This work presents the design of a fluorination experiment to convert spent nuclear fuel from its oxide form into a fluoride form suitable for MSR fuel, while avoiding the separation of actinides. The reuse of spent nuclear fuel in molten salt reactors (MSRs) offers a potential method for waste management and maximizing energy utilization. However, traditional reprocessing involves the chemical separation of fissile material, which has raised proliferation concerns. Additionally, the existing oxygen in spent nuclear fuel must be removed, as it can lead to the corrosion of structural materials in MSRs. In this experiment design, nitrogen trifluoride is used as the fluorinating agent due to its formation of non-volatile fluorides and its reactivity at known temperatures with various nuclides in spent nuclear fuel. This approach adapts concepts from a prior experiment utilizing nitrogen trifluoride for uranium separation but applies them in an experiment design that removes oxygen, limits actinide separation, and reduces the proliferation risk for a closed fuel cycle.