Electrolyte scraping and collecting device, method for recycling uranium metal in spent fuel through molten salt electrolytic refining and method for designing cutter for scraping precipitates

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the technical field of electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metal through a molten liquid electrolytic method, in particular to an electrolytic product scraping and collecting device, a method for recovering uranium metal in spent fuel through molten salt electrolytic refining and a method for designing a cutter for scraping precipitates. The device comprises a containing assembly used for containing a cathode and arranged to enable the cathode to rotate, and an electrolysis product is formed on the cathode; the scraping assembly can be close to or far away from the cathode located in the containing assembly and is used for scraping electrolytic products on the cathode in the rotating process; the electrolytic product collecting piece is arranged to collect scraped electrolytic products in the scraping process of the scraping assembly and transfer the collected electrolytic products to the next procedure after scraping is completed. According to the embodiment of the invention, the material scraping assembly is used for scraping the electrolytic products on the rotating cathode, then the electrolytic product collecting piece is used for collecting the scraped electrolytic products and transferring the scraped electrolytic products, the recycling process does not need participation of operators, the efficiency is relatively high, and the safety is also relatively high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by molten liquid electrolysis, and specifically to a device for scraping and collecting electrolysis products, a method for recovering uranium metal from spent fuel by molten salt electrolytic refining, and a method for designing a tool for scraping off precipitates. Background Art

[0002] The statements herein merely provide background information related to the present application and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] Spent fuel refers to nuclear fuel that has been used in a reactor for a period of time and contains nuclides that can be recycled. This fuel is usually recycled and processed.

[0004] Currently, molten salt electrorefining is a common method for treating spent fuel and recycling it. This method primarily involves dissolving radionuclides in the spent fuel in the molten salt through an electrolytic reaction, which then precipitates out from the cathode. Furthermore, the cathode precipitate is recovered. However, recovering the precipitate presents a technical challenge. Existing industrial equipment for scraping and collecting electrolysis products is insufficient for this type of spent fuel treatment and requires modification. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A brief overview of the present application is provided below to provide a basic understanding of certain aspects of the present application. It should be understood that this overview is not an exhaustive overview of the present application. It is not intended to identify key or important portions of the present application, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present application. Its purpose is simply to present certain concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that will be discussed later.

[0006] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device for collecting electrolysis products on a cathode, comprising: a containing assembly, the containing assembly is used to contain a cathode and is configured to enable the cathode to rotate, with electrolysis products formed on the cathode; a scraping assembly, the scraping assembly can approach or move away from the cathode located in the containing assembly, and is used to scrape electrolysis products on the cathode during rotation; an electrolysis product collecting piece, the electrolysis product collecting piece is configured to collect the scraped electrolysis products during the scraping process of the scraping assembly, and transfer the collected electrolysis products to the next process after the scraping is completed.

[0007] In the embodiment of the present application, a receiving assembly is used to accommodate the cathode and drive the cathode to rotate, a scraper assembly is used to scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode during the rotation process, and then an electrolysis product collecting member is used to collect the scraped electrolysis products and transfer them to the next process, which is conducive to the recovery of radionuclides in spent fuel. In addition, no operator participation is required during the recovery process, and the efficiency and safety are relatively high.

[0008] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a method for recovering uranium metal from spent fuel by molten salt electrolytic refining, which is achieved by electrolyzing the spent fuel using molten salt electrolytic refining equipment, and includes the following steps: S1, setting the working environment of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment to an inert gas atmosphere and the inert gas meets the preset gas atmosphere requirements, wherein the working environment is subjected to radiation-resistant protection treatment; S2, transporting the molten salt for electrolysis to the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment; S3, heating the molten salt and maintaining the molten salt in a liquid state; S4, The fuel is loaded into the anode of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment; S5, the anode loaded with the spent fuel is inserted into the reaction space of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment; S6, the cathode of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment is immersed in the molten salt; S7, the power supply of the anode and the cathode is turned on to start the electrolysis reaction; S8, after the electrolysis reaction is completed, the power supply is turned off, and the cathode is transferred to the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device of the embodiment of the present application, so as to scrape the electrolysis product on the cathode using the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device; S9, the electrolysis product on the cathode is collected, and the electrolysis product is uranium metal including molten salt.

[0009] On the third aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a method for designing a tool for scraping off precipitates, wherein the precipitates include electrolysis products generated on the cathode by electrolyzing molten salt, which includes: S10, determining the scraping force applied to the precipitates; S20, determining the corrosive effect of the precipitates on the tool; S30, determining the physical and chemical properties of the precipitates; S40, determining the material of the tool based on the scraping force, corrosive effect and physical and chemical properties; S50, determining the external characteristics of the precipitates and the external characteristics of the cathode; S60, determining the movement mode of the cathode and the tool; S70, determining the structure of the tool based on the external characteristics of the precipitates and the external characteristics of the cathode determined in step S50, the material determined in step S40 and the movement mode determined in step S60.

[0010] These and other advantages of the present application will become more apparent through the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] To further illustrate the above and other advantages and features of the present application, the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated into and form a part of this specification. Elements with the same function and structure are denoted by the same reference numerals. It should be understood that these drawings depict only typical examples of the present application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present application.

[0012] Figure 1 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a cathode according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0014] Figure 3 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a driving assembly in a receiving assembly of an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0015] Figure 4 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a scraping assembly of an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] Figure 5 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a fixing component in a support member of an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method for recovering uranium metal from spent fuel by molten salt electrolytic refining according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 7 It is a flow chart of a method for designing a cutting tool for scraping off precipitates according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] It should be noted that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but are merely shown in a schematic manner that does not affect the reader's understanding.

[0020] Description of reference numerals:

[0021] 20. cathode; 21. first cathode body; 22. second cathode body; 221. clamping fitting portion; 23. cathode support portion;

[0022] 60. Electrolysis product scraping and collecting device;

[0023] 61. Accommodation assembly; 611. Scraper container; 6111. Opening slot; 612. Driving assembly; 6121. Driving member; 6122. First driving connection member; 6123. Second driving connection member; 6124. Scraper connection member; 61241. Cathode clamping portion;

[0024] 62. Scraper assembly; 621. Scraper member; 622. Scraper moving assembly; 623. First scraper moving member; 6231. First sliding engagement portion; 624. Second scraper moving member; 6241. First sliding portion; 6242. Second sliding engagement portion; 625. Scraper mounting frame; 626. Tool connecting member; 6261. Second sliding portion;

[0025] 63. Electrolysis product collection unit;

[0026] 64, receiving mobile assembly; 641, mobile mounting member; 642, mobile body; 643, mobile matching member;

[0027] 65. Accommodate the mounting member; 651. Install the support portion; 652. Through-channel;

[0028] 72. Support member; 721. First support portion; 722. Second support portion; 723. Fixing assembly; 7231. Fixing member; 7232. Operation connecting member; 72321. Connection portion; 72322. Operation portion; 72323. Operation matching portion; 7233. Elastic member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of clarity and conciseness, not all features of actual implementations are described in the specification. However, it should be understood that many implementation-specific decisions must be made in the process of developing any such actual implementation in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as meeting those constraints related to the system and business, and these constraints may vary depending on the implementation. In addition, it should be understood that although the development work may be very complex and time-consuming, it is a routine task for those skilled in the art who benefit from the content of this application.

[0030] It is also necessary to explain here that, in order to avoid obscuring the present application due to unnecessary details, the accompanying drawings only show the device structure and / or processing steps that are closely related to the solution according to the present application, while other details that are not closely related to the present application are omitted.

[0031] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application should have the common meanings understood by persons having ordinary skills in the field to which this application belongs.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, “multiple” means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0033] In related technologies, during the electrolysis of spent fuel using the electrolysis device in molten salt electrolytic refining equipment, nuclides containing molten salt are precipitated on the cathode. This precipitate is scraped and collected to recover the nuclides in the spent fuel. However, current devices for scraping and collecting the precipitate on the cathode typically require human operator operation, resulting in poor safety and a low degree of automation.

[0034] In response to the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device for collecting electrolysis products on the cathode. Figure 1 : is a structural diagram of the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application, Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the cathode according to an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device 60 may include a receiving assembly 61 , a scraping assembly 62 and an electrolysis product collecting member 63 .

[0035] The accommodating assembly 61 is used to accommodate the cathode 20 and is configured to enable the cathode 20 to rotate. Electrolysis products are formed on the cathode 20.

[0036] The scraper assembly 62 can be moved close to or away from the cathode 20 located in the accommodating assembly 61 and is used to scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode 20 during the rotation process.

[0037] The electrolysis product collecting member 63 is configured to collect the electrolysis products scraped off during the scraping process of the scraping assembly 62, and transfer the collected electrolysis products to the next process after the scraping is completed.

[0038] In the embodiment of the present application, the cathode 20 is accommodated by the accommodating assembly 61 and driven to rotate by the cathode 20, the scraping assembly 62 is used to scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode 20 during the rotation process, and then the electrolysis product collecting member 63 is used to collect the scraped electrolysis products and transfer them to the next process, which is conducive to the recovery of radionuclides in spent fuel. In addition, no operator participation is required during the recovery process, and the efficiency is relatively high and the safety is also relatively high.

[0039] In some embodiments, again referring to Figure 2 The cathode 20 may include a first cathode body 21 and a second cathode body 22. The first cathode body 21 may be used for conducting electricity, and the second cathode body 22 may provide an attachment space for electrolysis products generated by the electrolysis reaction while conducting electricity.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first cathode body 21 and the second cathode body 22 are detachably connected to facilitate replacement of the second cathode body 22 and reuse of the first cathode body 21 .

[0041] In some embodiments, the electrolysis product collecting member 63 may be a collecting tray.

[0042] In some embodiments, the receiving assembly 61 may include a scraper container 611; the scraper container 611 has a receiving cavity, the cathode 20 is disposed in the receiving cavity, and the receiving cavity is used to provide a scraping space during the scraping process. The scraper container 611 has an opening 6111 formed on its body, so that the scraper assembly 62 can scrape the cathode 20 in the receiving cavity through the opening 6111.

[0043] In the embodiment of the present application, the cathode 20 is arranged in the accommodating cavity of the scraper container 611, and then the opening groove 6111 on the main body of the scraper container 611 is used to enable the scraper assembly 62 to scrape the cathode 20 in the accommodating cavity through the opening groove 6111, which helps to prevent the electrolytic products scraped off during the scraping process from splashing to the outside of the scraper container 611.

[0044] In some embodiments, the extension direction of the opening groove 6111 may be the same as the extension direction of the cathode 20 in the accommodating cavity, thereby facilitating the scraper assembly 62 to fully scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode 20 .

[0045] In some embodiments, the accommodating component 61 may further include a driving component 612; the scraper container 611 is formed with a mounting interface, the driving component 612 is connected to the scraper container 611 through the mounting interface, and a portion of the driving component 612 is disposed in the accommodating cavity, and the driving component 612 is configured to drive the cathode 20 to rotate.

[0046] In the embodiment of the present application, the driving assembly 612 is arranged at the mounting interface of the scraper container 611 so as to utilize the driving assembly 612 to drive the cathode 20 to rotate. Through the rotation of the cathode 20, each circumferential position of the cathode 20 can be fully in contact with the scraper assembly 62 during the scraping process, thereby facilitating the scraper assembly 62 to fully scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode 20.

[0047] In some embodiments, Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a driving component in a receiving component of an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 3 As shown, the driving assembly 612 may include a driving member 6121 , a first driving connecting member 6122 , a second driving connecting member 6123 and a scraper connecting member 6124 .

[0048] The driving member 6121 is used to drive the first driving connection member 6122 to rotate, and the driving member 6121 is arranged radially outside the scraper container 611 to avoid that there is no installation space for the driving member 6121 in the accommodating cavity of the scraper container 611.

[0049] The second drive connector 6123 is rotatably connected to the first drive connector 6122 . The second drive connector 6123 is configured to rotate along with the first drive connector 6122 during the rotation of the first drive connector 6122 .

[0050] The second driving connection member 6123 is also configured to drive the scraper connection member 6124 to rotate during the rotation process.

[0051] The scraper connector 6124 is configured to be detachably connected to the cathode 20 for driving the cathode 20 to rotate during the rotation process, and the scraper connector 6124 is disposed in the accommodating cavity.

[0052] In an embodiment of the present application, the first drive connector 6122 is arranged radially outside the scraper container 611, and then the drive member 6121 is used to drive the first drive connector 6122 to rotate, thereby indirectly driving the second drive connector 6123 connected to the first drive connector 6122 to rotate, thereby driving the cathode 20 to rotate. In this way, the cathode 20 can be driven when the space in the scraper container 611 is small and insufficient to be set up with the drive component 612; at the same time, part of the structure of the drive component 612 is arranged outside the scraper container 611, which is beneficial to avoid corrosion and extend its service life.

[0053] In some embodiments, the driving member 6121 can be a motor.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first drive connector 6122 and the second drive connector 6123 can be gears, and the gear radius of the first drive connector 6122 is larger than the gear radius of the second drive connector 6123, so as to reduce the rotational speed of the first drive connector 6122 and increase its torque, thereby improving the smoothness of the transmission.

[0055] In some embodiments, the scraper connector 6124 is formed with a cathode channel, which is connected to the accommodating cavity of the scraper container 611 so that the cathode 20 can enter the accommodating cavity through the cathode channel.

[0056] In some embodiments, the scraper connector 6124 may include a cathode clamping portion 61241 to clamp the cathode 20 when the cathode 20 is placed in the receiving cavity through the cathode channel.

[0057] In some embodiments, a clamping fitting portion 221 may be formed on the second cathode body 22 of the cathode 20, and the cathode clamping portion 61241 may specifically clamp the clamping fitting portion 221 of the second cathode body 22. In such an embodiment, the connection between the clamping fitting portion 221 and the cathode clamping portion 61241 helps reduce the travel of the cathode clamping portion 61241 and improve stability.

[0058] In some embodiments, the cathode clamping portion 61241 can be a three-jaw chuck.

[0059] In some embodiments, the scraper assembly 62 may include a scraper 621 and a scraper moving assembly 622. The scraper 621 is used to scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode 20; the scraper moving assembly 622 is used to drive the scraper 621 to move, so as to use the scraper 621 to scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode 20 during the rotation process.

[0060] In the embodiment of the present application, the scraper moving assembly 622 is used to drive the scraper member 621 to move, which is beneficial for the scraper member 621 to fully scrape the electrolysis products on the cathode 20 to achieve a better scraping effect.

[0061] In some embodiments, Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a scraping assembly of an electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, the scraper moving assembly 622 may include a first scraper moving member 623, a second scraper moving member 624, and a scraper mounting frame 625. The first scraper moving member 623 is disposed on the scraper mounting frame 625; the second scraper moving member 624 is configured to be movable relative to the first scraper moving member 623 to move closer to or away from the scraper container 611; the scraper member 621 is connected to the second scraper moving member 624, and the second scraper moving member 624 is further configured to enable the scraper member 621 to move relative to the second scraper moving member 624.

[0062] In the embodiment of the present application, the scraper 621 can be flexibly moved through the cooperation between the first scraper moving member 623 and the second scraper moving member 624, so that the scraper 621 can fully scrape the electrolysis products at various positions in the circumferential direction and extension direction of the cathode 20.

[0063] In some embodiments, the scraper moving assembly 622 may include two first scraper moving members 623 , and the two first scraper moving members 623 may be disposed in parallel on the scraper mounting frame 625 .

[0064] The two ends of the second scraper moving member 624 can be movably disposed on the two first scraper moving members 623 , respectively, to ensure that the scraper member 621 can remain stable when approaching or moving away from the scraper container 611 .

[0065] In some embodiments, the first scraper moving member 623 can be formed with a first sliding fitting portion 6231, and the second scraper moving member 624 can be formed with a first sliding portion 6241 on the side facing the first scraper moving member 623. Through the cooperation between the first sliding portion 6241 and the first sliding fitting portion 6231, the second scraper moving member 624 can be moved relative to the first scraper moving member 623.

[0066] In some embodiments, the scraper moving assembly 622 may further include a tool connecting member 626. The scraper member 621 is connected to the second scraper moving member 624 via the tool connecting member 626.

[0067] A second sliding fitting portion 6242 can be formed on the side of the second scraper moving member 624 facing away from the first scraper moving member 623, and a second sliding portion 6261 can be formed on the tool connecting member 626. Through the cooperation between the second sliding portion 6261 and the second sliding fitting portion 6242, the tool connecting member 626 can be moved relative to the second scraper moving member 624, thereby driving the scraper member 621 to move relative to the second scraper moving member 624.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first sliding fitting portion 6231 and the second sliding fitting portion 6242 may be slide rails, and the first sliding portion 6241 and the second sliding portion 6261 may be slide grooves.

[0069] In some embodiments, the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device 60 may further include a receiving and moving assembly 64 and a support member 72. The receiving and moving assembly 64 is disposed on the support member 72 and is configured to drive the electrolysis product collecting member 63 to move to the position of the scraping assembly 62 to collect the scraped electrolysis product.

[0070] In the embodiment of the present application, the electrolysis product collecting member 63 can be moved without the intervention of an operator through the cooperation between the receiving moving component 64 and the supporting member 72, thereby achieving the purpose of collecting the scraped electrolysis products.

[0071] In some embodiments, after the scraping is completed, the receiving moving component 64 can drive the electrolysis product collecting member 63 away from the position of the scraping component 62 to transfer the collected electrolysis products to the next process.

[0072] In some embodiments, the receiving mobile assembly 64 may include a mobile mounting member 641, a mobile body 642, and a mobile mating member 643. The mobile mating member 643 is connected to the support member 72 via the mobile mounting member 641. The mobile body 642 may be disposed on the mobile mating member 643. The mobile body 642 may be used to mount the electrolysis product collector 63. The movement of the mobile mating member 643 may drive the movement of the mobile body 642, thereby driving the movement of the electrolysis product collector 63.

[0073] In some embodiments, the support member 72 may include a first support portion 721, a second support portion 722, and a fixing assembly 723. The first support portion 721 is fixedly connected to the second support portion 722 via the fixing assembly 723; the fixing assembly 723 is configured to be remotely operable; and the receiving and moving assembly 64 is disposed on the first support portion 721.

[0074] The embodiment of the present application fixes the receiving movable component 64 on the first support part 721, and then fixes the first support part 721 to the second support part 722 through the fixing component 723, thereby facilitating the overall disassembly and assembly of the receiving movable component 64 and the first support part 721; at the same time, the fixing component 723 is configured to be remotely operated, which is conducive to the operation of the robot, thereby reducing the involvement of the operator and improving safety.

[0075] In some embodiments, Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the fixed component in the support of the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 5 As shown, the fixing assembly 723 may include a fixing member 7231 , an operating connection member 7232 and an elastic member 7233 .

[0076] The fixing member 7231 is configured to be fixedly connected to the first support portion 721; the operating connection member 7232 passes through the fixing member 7231; the operating connection member 7232 includes a connecting portion 72321 and an operating portion 72322, the operating portion 72322 is configured to be remotely operated, and the connecting portion 72321 is configured to be fixedly connected to the second support portion 722 under the action of the operating portion 72322; the elastic member 7233 is disposed in the fixing member 7231 and is configured to elastically contact the first support portion 721, so as to apply a force to the operating connection member 7232 away from the second support portion 722 when the first support portion 721 and the second support portion 722 are disassembled.

[0077] The embodiment of the present application can facilitate operation by a robot by configuring the fixing assembly 723 to include a fixing part 7231, an operating connection part 7232 and an elastic part 7233. When the first support part 721 and the second support part 722 need to be disassembled, the disassembly can be performed by applying a force to the operating connection part 7232 away from the second support part 722, and the operation is relatively simple.

[0078] In some embodiments, the fixing member 7231 is formed with a through hole, and the operating connection member 7232 can extend into the through hole of the fixing member 7231 to penetrate the fixing member 7231.

[0079] In some embodiments, an operating engagement portion 72323 is formed on the connecting portion 72321 of the operating connector 7232. The size of the operating engagement portion 72323 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through-hole to prevent the operating connector 7232 from passing through the through-hole of the fixing member 7231. The elastic member 7233 is disposed within the fixing member 7231, and both ends of the elastic member 7233 are in elastic contact with the first supporting portion 721 and the operating engagement portion 72323, respectively.

[0080] In some embodiments, the fixing member 7231 is detachably connected to the first support portion 721. For example, the fixing member 7231 can be connected to the first support portion 721 via bolts.

[0081] In some embodiments, the connecting portion 72321 may be connected to the second supporting portion 722. For example, one end of the connecting portion 72321 away from the operating portion 72322 may be provided with a thread to connect to the second supporting portion 722.

[0082] When connecting the first support part 721 and the second support part 722, the fixing part 7231 can be connected to the first support part 721 by bolts first, and then the connecting part 72321 can be connected to the second support part 722 by screwing the operating part 72322. At this time, the elastic part 7233 will be deformed by the pressure applied to it by the operating matching part 72323.

[0083] When disassembling the first support portion 721 and the second support portion 722, the fixing member 7231 and the first support portion 721 can be disassembled first, and then the operating portion 72322 can be twisted to separate the connecting portion 72321 from the second support portion 722. At this time, the elastic member 7233 can apply a force to the operating matching portion 72323 away from the second support portion 722, thereby popping out the fixing member 7231 and the operating connecting member 7232 as a whole.

[0084] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device 60 may further include a receiving and mounting member 65 for mounting the receiving assembly 61 ; the receiving and mounting member 65 is formed with a mounting support portion 651 for supporting the cathode 20 .

[0085] In some embodiments, the second driving member 6121 in the fixing assembly 723 can be fixedly disposed on the accommodating mounting member 65 .

[0086] In some embodiments, the mounting support portion 651 is formed with a through channel 652 corresponding to the cathode channel, and the cathode 20 can be placed in the accommodating cavity of the scraper container 611 via the through channel 652 and the cathode channel.

[0087] like Figure 2 As shown, a cathode support portion 23 may be formed on the first cathode body 21 of the cathode 20. When the cathode 20 is placed in the accommodating cavity of the scraper container 611 via the through channel 652 and the cathode channel, the mounting support portion 651 can be used to support the cathode support portion 23 of the cathode 20.

[0088] An embodiment of the present application further provides a method for recovering uranium metal from spent fuel by molten salt electrolytic refining. The method can be implemented by electrolyzing the spent fuel using molten salt electrolytic refining equipment. Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for recovering uranium metal from spent fuel by molten salt electrolytic refining according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, the method may include the following steps S1 to S9.

[0089] S1. Setting the working environment of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment to an inert gas atmosphere and the inert gas meeting the preset gas atmosphere requirements, wherein the working environment has been subjected to radiation-resistant protection treatment.

[0090] S2. The molten salt used for electrolysis is transported to the molten salt electrolysis refining equipment.

[0091] S3. Heating the molten salt and maintaining the molten salt in a liquid state.

[0092] S4. Load the spent fuel into the anodes of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment.

[0093] S5. Insert the anode containing the spent fuel into the reaction space of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment.

[0094] S6. Immerse the cathode 20 in the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment in molten salt.

[0095] S7. Turn on the power supply of the anode and cathode 20 to start the electrolysis reaction.

[0096] S8. After the electrolysis reaction is completed, the power supply is cut off and the cathode 20 is transferred to the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device 60 in the molten salt electrolysis refining equipment to scrape the electrolysis product on the cathode 20 using the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device 60.

[0097] S9. Collect the electrolysis products on the cathode 20. The electrolysis products are uranium metal including molten salt.

[0098] The method provided in the embodiments of the present application starts the electrolysis reaction by inserting the anode containing spent fuel in the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment into the reaction space and connecting the power supply in an inert gas atmosphere. After the electrolysis reaction is completed, the cathode 20 in the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment is transferred to the electrolysis product scraping and collection device 60 to scrape and collect the electrolysis products on the cathode 20 so as to subsequently extract uranium metal from the electrolysis products. The entire recovery process is carried out in an inert atmosphere, and the entire electrolysis reaction can be operated in a low-water and oxygen sealed atmosphere, which is conducive to preventing the molten salt from absorbing moisture and the electrolysis products precipitated by electrolysis from being oxidized, so as to ensure the recovery efficiency of uranium metal, thereby meeting the requirements for the treatment of spent fuel. At the same time, no operator participation is required in the recovery process, and the degree of automation is high.

[0099] The method for recovering uranium metal in spent fuel provided in the embodiments of the present application can be carried out in a hot chamber.

[0100] In some embodiments, the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment may include an electrolytic heating device to heat the molten salt and maintain the heated molten salt in a liquid state. In step S2, the molten salt for electrolysis may be transported to the electrolytic heating device of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment.

[0101] In some embodiments, the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment may include a high-temperature liquid molten salt pump. The electrolytic heating device body may be formed with a molten salt inlet and outlet channel connected to the high-temperature liquid molten salt pump to achieve automatic molten salt inlet and outlet.

[0102] In some embodiments, in step S3, heating the molten salt may include: heating the molten salt in different heating stages, wherein the heating temperatures set in different heating stages are different.

[0103] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application heats the molten salt in different heating stages, which can avoid the formation of temperature gradients, thereby facilitating a more uniform heating temperature in each region of the molten salt.

[0104] In some embodiments, in step S3, heating the molten salt may also include: setting different heating temperatures for different areas in the reaction space, so as to facilitate the formation of different temperature gradients in the extension direction of the reaction space, so that the molten salt can maintain a molten state while avoiding the molten salt temperature in the upper part of the body being too high and volatilizing to the outside of the body through the opening of the body.

[0105] In some embodiments, the electrolytic heating device may include a body and a cover, wherein the body forms a cavity, the molten salt is disposed in the cavity, the cover is connected to the body, and the cover is provided with a matching groove, and the cathode 20 is inserted into the cavity through the matching groove.

[0106] In some embodiments, the electrolytic heating device may form different heating areas along the extension direction of its body, and different heating temperatures may be set for different heating areas.

[0107] In some embodiments, step S1 may further include: S11: continuously evacuating the working environment; S12: continuously filling the working environment with inert gas, which helps prevent leakage of radioactive substances.

[0108] In some embodiments, step S12 may include: during the process of filling the inert gas, detecting the water and oxygen content in the working environment, and determining that the water and oxygen content meets the preset gas atmosphere requirements to ensure that subsequent electrolysis operations can be carried out in the preset gas atmosphere, thereby further preventing the molten salt from absorbing moisture and the electrolysis products precipitated by the electrolysis from being oxidized.

[0109] In some embodiments, determining whether the water and oxygen content meets the preset gas atmosphere requirements may include: determining the amount of inert gas to be injected based on the water and oxygen content in the working environment so that the water and oxygen content meets the preset gas atmosphere requirements.

[0110] In some embodiments, step S11 may include: purifying the inert gas extracted from the working environment during the process of evacuating the working environment, so as to refill the purified inert gas into the working environment.

[0111] The method provided in the embodiments of the present application can avoid waste of inert gas and reduce resource consumption by purifying the inert gas extracted from the working environment and re-filling the purified inert gas into the working environment.

[0112] In some embodiments, before step S4, the process may further include: weighing the spent fuel so that the spent fuel is loaded into the anode in a predetermined amount. This helps ensure that the spent fuel loaded into the anode is fully immersed in the molten salt, thereby avoiding the situation where part of the spent fuel does not undergo electrolysis reaction.

[0113] In some embodiments, in step S4, during the process of loading the spent fuel into the anode, the spent fuel is loaded in a manner that increases its stacking density, which is conducive to dense stacking of the spent fuel in the anode.

[0114] In some embodiments, the charging process may be performed while vibrating so that the spent fuel can be fully immersed in the liquid charging molten salt.

[0115] In some embodiments, step S4 may include: classifying the spent fuel according to its specifications; and determining the order in which the spent fuel is loaded into the anodes according to different classifications so as to increase the spent fuel stacking density.

[0116] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application first classifies the spent fuel according to its specifications and then determines the order in which the spent fuel is loaded into the anode, which is conducive to achieving the purpose of increasing the stacking density of the spent fuel so that the spent fuel is densely stacked on the anode.

[0117] In some embodiments, spent fuel may be classified according to the size of the spent fuel. When the spent fuel is loaded into the anode, the larger spent fuel is loaded first, and then the smaller spent fuel is loaded.

[0118] In some embodiments, step S8 may include: lifting the cathode 20 out of the molten salt and standing it for a predetermined time to avoid dripping of the molten salt liquid, thereby helping to avoid contamination caused by the molten salt liquid and ensuring sufficient recovery of uranium metal.

[0119] In some embodiments, step S7 may include: during the electrolysis process, first using a first predetermined current for electrolysis; then, using a second predetermined current for electrolysis; then, using a third predetermined current for electrolysis; wherein the first predetermined current is smaller than the second predetermined current, and the third predetermined current is smaller than the first predetermined current.

[0120] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application sequentially uses a first predetermined current, a second predetermined current, and a third predetermined current for electrolysis, which is beneficial to uranium metal separation and obtaining electrolysis products.

[0121] In some embodiments, the first predetermined current is 200A, the second predetermined current is 700A, and the third predetermined current is 100A.

[0122] In some embodiments, the predetermined current may include multiple current values. For example, the second predetermined current may include multiple current values ​​with gradually increasing currents, with the final current value increasing to 700A.

[0123] In such an embodiment, electrolysis is first performed at a current of 100 A for 2 hours to improve the density of the structure of the obtained electrolysis product; then, electrolysis is performed at a current gradually increased from 200 A, 300 A, 500 A to 700 A for 10 minutes to ensure safety during the current increase process; then, electrolysis is continued at a current of 700 A for a first predetermined working time to ensure the precipitation efficiency of the electrolysis product; then, electrolysis is continued at a current of 200 A for a second predetermined working time to slowly collect the electrolysis product.

[0124] In some embodiments, in step S9, the cathode 20 set in the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device 60 is processed using a tool in the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device 60; wherein, processing the cathode 20 may include: determining the tool feed stroke and the speed of axial movement along the cathode 20 according to the shape and size of the precipitate on the cathode 20; determining the rotation speed of the cathode 20 according to the tool feed stroke and the speed of axial movement along the cathode 20.

[0125] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application determines the tool feed stroke and the speed of axial movement along the cathode 20 according to the shape and size of the precipitates on the cathode 20, so as to ensure that the tool fully scrapes the precipitates on the cathode 20 to achieve a better scraping effect. Then, the rotation speed of the cathode 20 is determined according to the tool feed stroke and the speed of axial movement along the cathode 20, so that the cathode 20 can also rotate during the process of the tool scraping the precipitates, thereby further improving the scraping effect and efficiency of the precipitates.

[0126] In some embodiments, the rotation speed of the cathode 20, the stroke of the tool feed, and the speed of the tool moving along the axial direction of the cathode 20 satisfy the following expression (1):

[0127]

[0128] Wherein, n represents the rotation speed; d represents the distance from the point where the tool contacts the precipitate on the cathode 20 to the rotation center of the cathode 20; a p represents the tool feed stroke; v represents the speed of the tool moving along the axial direction of the cathode 20.

[0129] The rotation speed of the cathode 20 can be determined relatively accurately and quickly using the above expression (1).

[0130] The embodiment of the present application also provides a method for designing a cutting tool for scraping off precipitates. The scraper 621 in the embodiment of the present application is a cutting tool. The precipitates include electrolysis products generated on the cathode by electrolyzing molten salt.

[0131] Figure 7 : is a flow chart of a method for designing a tool for scraping off precipitates according to an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 7 As shown, the method includes the following steps S10 to S70.

[0132] S10. Determine the scraping force applied to the precipitate.

[0133] S20. Determine the corrosive effect of the precipitates on the tool.

[0134] S30. Determine the physical and chemical properties of the precipitate.

[0135] S40. Determine the material of the tool based on scraping force, corrosion effect, and physical and chemical properties.

[0136] S50: Determine the shape characteristics of the precipitate and the shape characteristics of the cathode.

[0137] S60: Determine the movement mode of the cathode and the tool.

[0138] S70 , determining the structure of the tool according to the shape characteristics of the precipitate and the cathode determined in step S50 , the material determined in step S40 , and the movement mode determined in step S60 .

[0139] The embodiments of the present application determine the appropriate tool material by taking into account the scraping force required to be applied to the precipitate, the corrosive effect of the precipitate on the tool, and the physical and chemical properties of the precipitate. The tool structure is then determined based on the external features of the precipitate and the cathode, the material of the tool, and the movement of the cathode and tool. This helps ensure that the selected tool matches the difficulty of scraping the precipitate, so as to smoothly scrape the precipitate on the cathode, while avoiding breakage of the tool during the scraping process or damage to other components of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment.

[0140] In some embodiments, since the tool is in direct contact with the precipitate during the scraping process, it needs to withstand greater cutting pressure and impact, and will be subjected to severe friction, so it is easy to generate very high cutting temperature. The material of the determined tool should meet the requirements of high hardness, sufficient strength and toughness, good wear resistance and corrosion resistance, good heat resistance and thermal conductivity, etc.

[0141] In such an embodiment, the material of the cutting tool may include, but is not limited to, tool steel, high-speed steel, cemented carbide, ceramic, and superhard material.

[0142] In some embodiments, the tool may be made of high-speed steel.

[0143] In some embodiments, the structure of a tool may include the basic form of the tool, the shape of the blades in the tool, and the size of the tool.

[0144] In some embodiments, basic forms of the cutting tool include but are not limited to integral type, welded type, machine clamped type and indexable type, among which welded type and indexable type cutting tools are more widely used.

[0145] In some embodiments, welded cutting tools primarily consist of a blade of a predetermined shape and a toolholder joined together through welding. These tools offer advantages such as a simple and compact structure, good tool rigidity, strong vibration resistance, ease of manufacture, and flexible use. However, due to the welding process during manufacturing, welded cutting tools often develop internal stress in the blade after cooling, making it prone to cracking and reducing cutting performance. Furthermore, the toolholder cannot be reused, requiring complete replacement if damaged.

[0146] In some embodiments, the indexable tool is a machine-clamped turning tool using an indexable insert, which is mainly composed of a tool shank, a tool pad, a blade and a clamping element. After one cutting edge of the blade becomes blunt, it can be quickly indexed and replaced with an adjacent new cutting edge. It has the advantages of long tool and tool shank life, short downtime for tool changing, resulting in high production efficiency, and low tool inventory requirements.

[0147] In the embodiment of the present application, the cutting tool needs to work in a high radiation environment and is difficult to replace, so an indexable cutting tool can be used.

[0148] In some embodiments, the shape of the blade includes but is not limited to a triangle, a triangle with an angle of 8°, a convex triangle, a regular quadrilateral, a pentagon, a parallelogram, or a rhombus.

[0149] In such an embodiment, the shape of the blade can be a regular quadrilateral, which has good versatility and the sharp angle of the blade is 90 degrees, so the blade strength and tool life are relatively high.

[0150] In some embodiments, the dimensions of the knife include the length of the blade and the angle of the blade.

[0151] In such an embodiment, the blade length refers to the theoretical side length of its geometric shape. Generally speaking, there is a rounded corner at the tip of the blade, and the effective edge length of the blade is shorter than the blade length.

[0152] In such an embodiment, the blade angles include: rake angle, main clearance angle, main deflection angle, cutting edge inclination angle, secondary deflection angle, and secondary clearance angle. The rake angle is the angle between the front face of the tool and the base plane; the main deflection angle is the angle between the main cutting plane and the assumed working plane; and the cutting edge inclination angle is the angle between the main cutting edge and the base plane. For some cutting tools, such as indexable cutting tools, due to their special structure, the design of some angles is restricted by the shape of the insert, and only the rake angle, main deflection angle, and cutting edge inclination angle can be designed.

[0153] In some embodiments, in step S10, the following steps are further included: S11: determining the torque of the motor driving the cathode to rotate; S12: determining the scraping force according to the torque determined in step S11.

[0154] The embodiment of the present application determines the scraping force by the torque of the motor-driven cathode rotation, so that the determined scraping force can be consistent with the force required to be applied by the tool during the actual scraping operation, thereby ensuring the service life and scraping effect of the determined tool.

[0155] In some embodiments, in step S12, the scraping force satisfies the following expression (2):

[0156]

[0157] Among them, F c Indicates the scraping force, T tot It indicates the torque of the motor driving the cathode to rotate when the tool is scraping the precipitate; T unl It represents the torque of the motor driving the cathode to rotate when the tool does not scrape the precipitate; r represents the radial distance from the point where the tool contacts the precipitate to the rotation center of the cathode; N ac Indicates the number of teeth of the motor's driving gear; N pa It represents the number of teeth of the driven gear driven by the driving gear; i represents the reduction ratio of the motor.

[0158] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application determines the scraping force of the tool through the above expression (2), which is conducive to ensuring that the tool involved can smoothly scrape off the precipitates on the cathode.

[0159] In some embodiments, step S30 further includes the following steps: S31: determining the sampling sites for physical and chemical analysis of the precipitate; S32: determining the number of sampling sites; S33: preparing different samples for determining the physical and chemical properties of the precipitate according to the analysis requirements of the physical and chemical analysis; S34: analyzing different samples to determine the metal content, salt content, and mechanical properties of the precipitate, wherein the physical and chemical properties include metal content, salt content, and mechanical properties.

[0160] The method provided in the embodiments of the present application can produce different samples for determining the physical and chemical properties of the precipitate by determining the sampling locations and the number of sampling locations for physical and chemical analysis of the precipitate, so that the produced samples can meet the analytical requirements of the physical and chemical analysis, thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the determined metal content, salt content, and mechanical properties of the precipitate.

[0161] In some embodiments, the sampling site may be located at the upper or lower portion of the cathode.

[0162] In some embodiments, for the same position on the cathode, such as the upper portion of the cathode, the sampling site can be located at a deeper position on the upper portion of the cathode or at a shallower position on the upper portion of the cathode.

[0163] In some embodiments, in step S31 , the upper portion, the middle portion, and the bottom portion of the cathode are selected as sampling locations, respectively, to ensure that samples are prepared from the sampling locations.

[0164] In some embodiments, the movement mode of the tool is determined according to the movement mode of the cathode and the distribution of the precipitates on the cathode. Different tool movement modes can be determined according to different distribution modes of the precipitates on the cathode, which is beneficial to improving the scraping efficiency of the precipitates.

[0165] In some embodiments, the blade of the tool can be arranged to embrace the cathode, or can be arranged so that its sharp portion contacts the cathode, that is, the blade and the cathode can be in surface contact, point contact, or line contact.

[0166] Regarding the embodiments of the present application, it should also be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present application and the features therein can be combined with each other to obtain new embodiments.

[0167] The above description is only a specific implementation method of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. The protection scope of the present application shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An electrolysis product scraping and collecting device for collecting electrolysis products on the cathode, characterized in that: It includes: a receiving assembly, the receiving assembly being used to receive the cathode and being configured to enable the cathode to rotate, wherein an electrolysis product is formed on the cathode; a scraper assembly, the scraper assembly being capable of moving close to or away from the cathode located in the receiving assembly and being used to scrape off electrolysis products on the cathode during rotation; The electrolysis product collecting member is configured to collect the electrolysis products scraped off during the scraping process of the scraping assembly, and transfer the collected electrolysis products to the next process after the scraping is completed.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The containing assembly includes a scraper container; The scraping container is formed with a receiving cavity, the cathode is arranged in the receiving cavity, and the receiving cavity is used to provide a scraping space during the scraping process; An open groove is formed on the body of the scraper container, so that the scraper assembly can scrape the cathode in the accommodating cavity through the open groove.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The accommodating assembly further includes a driving assembly; The scraper container is formed with a mounting interface, the drive assembly is connected to the scraper container via the mounting interface, and a portion of the drive assembly is disposed in the accommodating cavity, and the drive assembly is configured to drive the cathode to rotate.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that The driving assembly includes a driving member, a first driving connecting member, a second driving connecting member and a scraping connecting member; The driving member is used to drive the first driving connection member to rotate, and the driving member is arranged radially outside the scraper container to avoid a lack of installation space for the driving member in the accommodating cavity of the scraper container; The second drive connection member is rotatably connected to the first drive connection member, and the second drive connection member is configured to rotate along with the second drive connection member during the rotation of the first drive connection member; The second driving connection member is further configured to drive the scraper connection member to rotate during the rotation process; The scraper connecting member is configured to be detachably connected to the cathode and is used to drive the cathode to rotate during the rotation process, and the scraper connecting member is arranged in the accommodating cavity.

5. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The scraper assembly includes a scraper member and a scraper moving assembly; The scraper is used to scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode; The scraper moving assembly is used to drive the scraper member to move, so as to utilize the scraper member to scrape off the electrolysis products on the cathode during the rotation process.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that The scraper moving assembly includes a first scraper moving member, a second scraper moving member and a scraper mounting frame; The first scraper moving member is arranged on the scraper mounting frame; The second scraper moving member is configured to be movable relative to the first scraper moving member so as to be closer to or farther away from the scraper container; The scraper member is connected to the second scraper movable member, and the second scraper movable member is further configured to enable the scraper member to move relative to the second scraper movable member.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that Also includes: receiving the mobile assembly and the support member; The receiving moving component is arranged on the supporting member, and is used to drive the electrolysis product collecting member to move, so that the electrolysis product collecting member can move to the position of the scraping component to collect the scraped electrolysis products.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that The support member includes a first support portion, a second support portion and a fixing assembly; The first supporting portion is fixedly connected to the second supporting portion via the fixing assembly; The fixing assembly is configured to be remotely operable; The receiving moving component is arranged on the first supporting portion.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that The fixing assembly includes a fixing member, an operating connection member and an elastic member; The fixing member is configured to be fixedly connected to the first supporting portion; The operational connection member passes through the fixing member; The operation connection member includes a connection portion and an operation portion, the operation portion is configured to be remotely operated, and the connection portion is configured to be fixedly connected to the second support portion under the action of the operation portion; The elastic member is disposed in the fixing member and is configured to elastically contact the first supporting portion so as to apply a force to the operating connection member away from the second supporting portion when the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion are detached.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that Also includes: To accommodate mounting parts, The receiving mounting member is used to install the receiving assembly; The receiving mounting member is formed with a mounting support portion, and the mounting support portion is used to support the cathode.

11. A method for recovering uranium metal from spent fuel by molten salt electrolytic refining, wherein the spent fuel is electrolyzed by molten salt electrolytic refining equipment, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: S1. Setting the working environment of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment to an inert gas atmosphere and the inert gas meeting the preset gas atmosphere requirements, wherein the working environment has been subjected to radiation-resistant protection treatment; S2. transporting the molten salt for electrolysis to the molten salt electrolysis refining equipment; S3, heating the molten salt and maintaining the molten salt in a liquid state; S4, loading the spent fuel into the anode of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment; S5. inserting the anode containing the spent fuel into the reaction space of the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment; S6, immersing the cathode in the molten salt electrolytic refining equipment into the molten salt; S7, turning on the power supply of the anode and the cathode to start the electrolysis reaction; S8. After the electrolysis reaction is completed, cut off the power supply and transfer the cathode to the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, so as to scrape the electrolysis product on the cathode using the electrolysis product scraping and collecting device; S9. Collecting the electrolysis product on the cathode, wherein the electrolysis product is uranium metal including the molten salt.

12. A method for designing a tool for scraping off precipitates, which is applicable to the device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the precipitates include electrolysis products generated on the cathode by electrolyzing molten salt, characterized in that: It includes: S10, determining a scraping force applied to the precipitate; S20, determining the corrosive effect of the precipitate on the cutting tool; S30, determining the physical and chemical properties of the precipitate; S40, determining the material of the cutting tool according to the scraping force, the corrosion effect, and the physical and chemical properties; S50, determining the shape characteristics of the precipitate and the shape characteristics of the cathode; S60, determining the movement mode of the cathode and the tool; S70 , determining the structure of the tool according to the shape characteristics of the precipitate and the cathode determined in step S50 , the material determined in step S40 , and the movement mode determined in step S60 .

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