Hybrid ZIRCEX Vapor Phase Extraction

The Zircex (zirconium removal prior to extraction) is a vapor phase process being developed and pilot-tested to generate HALEU by in-situ down blending the HEU recovered from zirconium based used fuels. This process has the advantage of generating significantly less waste by a factor of 300 compared to previously used traditional aqueous processes. It also incorporates in-situ down blending of the HEU into HALEU to reduce proliferation risks. Presently, Zircex is being extended to treat aluminum-based uranium resources to generate HALEU. One of the major potential advantages of Zircex is that the bulk of the used fuel mass (zirconium or aluminum) can be disposed of as low-level waste or, with further purification, recycled. Hybrid-Zircex is an extension of the Zircex process that adds the further purification of the recovered uranium using solvent extraction.