Plutonium dissolution process

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:208312

Vest, M A; Fink, S D; Karraker, D G; Moore, E N; Holcomb, H P

A two-step process for dissolving Pu metal is disclosed in which two steps can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously. Pu metal is exposed to a first mixture of 1.0-1.67 M sulfamic acid and 0.0025-0.1 M fluoride, the mixture having been heated to 45-70 C. The mixture will dissolve a first portion of the Pu metal but leave a portion of the Pu in an oxide residue. Then, a mineral acid and additional fluoride are added to dissolve the residue. Alternatively, nitric acid between 0.05 and 0.067 M is added to the first mixture to dissolve the residue as it is produced. Hydrogen released during the dissolution is diluted with nitrogen.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: Dept. of Energ
• Patent Number(s): PATENTS-US-A8193380
• Application Number: ON: DE96006453; PAN: 8-193,380; TRN: 96:009337
• OSTI ID: 208312
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 1994
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
40 CHEMISTRY
PLUTONIUM
DISSOLUTION
MATERIALS RECOVERY