Patent ID: 7090760

Claim:
A method of reducing spent oxide nuclear fuel to nuclear-fuel metal, comprising reducing metal oxides to metals using an electrochemical reduction device with LiCl—Li 2 O salt as an electrolyte, said electrochemical reduction device comprising: a cathode electrode assembly comprising: a spent oxide nuclear fuel injection part; an outer pipe connected to the spent oxide nuclear fuel injection part at the upper part thereof; a porous magnesia filter connected to the lower part of the outer pipe; a solid electrode extended from the top of the outer pipe to the inside of the magnesia filter and having radial blades positioned at the lower part thereof; and an alumina tube surrounding the solid electrode except the radial blades positioned at the lower part of the solid electrode; a plurality of anodes located on circle around the cathode electrode assembly while being spaced apart from each other at predetermined regular intervals; a reference electrode located on the same circle as the anodes and positioned at the middle of two adjacent anodes; an electrolyte injection part for injecting an electrolyte into the reduction device; a LiCl—Li 2 O salt injected through the electrolyte injection part into the reduction device; and a reactor receiving the cathode electrode assembly, the anodes, the reference electrode, and the LiCl—Li 2 O molten salt.