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Chlorination of uranium metal in molten NaCl-CaCl2 via bubbling HCl

Journal Article · · Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); University of Utah
  2. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Molten chloride salt fast reactors (MCFRs) will require UCl3 dissolved in molten salt mixtures as fuel for nuclear fission. For infusing the salt with UCl3, bubbling HCl into NaCl-CaCl2 in contact with U metal was investigated. The reaction was run up to 9 h and yielded U concentration up to 0.652 wt.%. Open circuit potential between a W electrode and Ag/AgCl reference electrode yielded a potential consistent with uranium existing as U(III) in the salt. Furthermore, this demonstrates that HCl can be a very effective chlorinating agent to infuse MCFR fuel with UCl3 starting from U metal.
Research Organization:
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001
OSTI ID:
2283048
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 23148923
Journal Information:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 331; ISSN 0236-5731
Publisher:
SpringerCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (7)

Synthesis of uranium trichloride salt using ZnCl2 journal August 2018
Removal of uranium from groundwater using zero-valent-iron coated quartz sands journal January 2021
Synthesis and characterization of sintered H–Y zeolite-derived waste forms for dehalogenated electrorefiner salt journal August 2020
Engineering demonstration reactors: A stepping stone on the path to deployment of advanced nuclear energy in the United States journal January 2022
Optimization of UCl 3 and MgCl 2 separation from molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt via galvanic drawdown with sacrificial Gd anode journal July 2018
Kinetics of Dechlorination of Molten Chloride Salt Using Protonated Ultrastable Y Zeolite journal July 2019
Some Investigations of the Ag∕AgCl in LiCl-KCl Eutectic Reference Electrode journal January 1959

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Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
HCl gas
Molten salt reactors
NaCl-CaCl2 eutectic salt
Uranium(III) chloride