Co-extraction of strontium and cesium from simulated high-level liquid waste (HLLW) by calixcrown and crown ether

The co-extraction performance of Sr and Cs from simulated high-level liquid waste (HLLW) was studied. The extraction solvent consists of 0.1 mol/L dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C-6) and 0.025 mol/L 25,27-bis (isopropoxy) calix[4]-26,28-crown-6 (iPr-C[4]C-6) in n-octanol as a diluent. Testing included the extraction performance of Sr and Cs in nitric acid and in the simulated HLLW medium, and the countercurrent cascade tests. The countercurrent cascade tests included 10 stages for Sr and Cs co-extraction, 2 stages for scrubbing and 8 stages for Sr and Cs co-stripping, or 2 stages for the supplementary extraction of Cs, 4 stages for stripping Sr and 8 stages for stripping Cs were carried out on a miniature centrifugal contactor set. The removal efficiencies of Sr and Cs in the simulated HLLW were 99.0% and 99.9%, respectively, and Sr and Cs could be co-stripped together completely or individually stripped by two stripping sections. Thus, the above extractants could be used to achieve the efficiency required for co-extracting Sr and Cs from HLLW. This process is simpler than the original extracting processes of Sr and Cs.