A kaolinite-based filter to capture gaseous cesium compounds in off-gas released during the pyroprocessing head-end process

In this study, a new filter was developed to capture radioactive cesium vapors evaporated from spent nuclear fuels during the pyroprocessing head-end process. For the fabrication of the filter, kaolinite powder was used as a raw material to form a fixed composition of silicon and aluminum oxide. The feasibility of the kaolinite-based filter was investigated using a system that enables the capture of gaseous cesium with respect to the trapping temperature. Characterization of the filters after cesium trapping showed that cesium vapors were chemically adsorbed in the filters by forming thermally stable cesium compounds. In addition, most of the volatilized cesium was successfully separated by the kaolinite-based filter.