Electro-fluid analysis of a molten-salt electrorefiner with rotating cruciform anode baskets

Abstract

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based multiphysics model of a molten-salt electrorefiner is presented for the computational electro-fluid analysis. A target model of the electrorefining cell presented here has a structure arranged concentrically with the cathode annulus surrounding a rotating cruciform anode inside it. This comprehensive approach of a multiphysics model solves the convective and diffusive transport of ionic uranium and allows for a prediction of the concentration present in the LiCl-KCl eutectic electrolyte between the electrodes at a current driven condition. The coupling of the local overpotential distribution and uranium concentration gradient makes it possible to predict the local current density distribution at the electrode surfaces.