Liquid cadmium cathode performance model based on the equilibrium behaviors of U and Pu in molten LiCl–KCl/Cd system at 500°C

The liquid cadmium cathode is a pyroprocessing technology used for the recovery of group actinide metals from the molten chloride salts that support uranium electrorefining. This article presents a model for the performance of a liquid cadmium cathode based on considerations of salt/alloy equilibrium thermodynamics, Cd–U-Pu phase diagram behaviors, and mass balance constraints. The model demonstrates how the salt/cadmium system responds as incremental additions of uranium are made to the liquid cadmium cathode.