Apparatus and methods for purifying lead

Patent · 12 January 2016

OSTI ID:1234644

Tunison, Harmon M.

Disclosed is an exemplary method of purifying lead which includes the steps of placing lead and a fluoride salt blend in a container; forming a first fluid of molten lead at a first temperature; forming a second fluid of the molten fluoride salt blend at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; mixing the first fluid and the second fluid together; separating the two fluids; solidifying the molten fluoride salt blend at a temperature above a melting point of the lead; and removing the molten lead from the container. In certain exemplary methods the molten lead is removed from the container by decanting. In still other exemplary methods the molten salt blend is a Lewis base fluoride eutectic salt blend, and in yet other exemplary methods the molten salt blend contains sodium fluoride, lithium fluoride, and potassium fluoride.

• Research Organization: Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), Niskayuna, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC12-00SN39357
• Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
• Patent Number(s): 9,234,258
• Application Number: 14/182,788
• OSTI ID: 1234644
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY