RECOVERY OF SCRAP URANIUM METAL BY RECYCLE TO THE GREEN SALT (UF$sub 4$)- MAGNESIUM THERMITE BOMB
Uranium scrap metal can be recovered on a laboratory scale by recycling to reduction bombs. Scoping experiments indicate that massive pieces of uranium, comprising as much as 7% of the greensalt (UF/sub 4/) charge, can be remelted in the 4-kg dingot bomb with no loss of metal quality. Yields, however, decrease because of poor slag-metal separation. An investigation of bomb enthalpies using MgF/sub 2/ as a heat sink indicated that the thermite reaction releases sufficient heat to fuse up to 15% of the charge as uranium metal. More extensive experiments demonstrated the acceptability of crude metal yields from 4-kg dingot bombs containing up to 13% (UF/sub 4/ basis) of degreased ingot lathe turnings in the charge. However, yields from bombs containing similar amounts of degreased core fabrication turnings were not as high as those attained in normal bombs. Pickling core turnings in nitric acid beforehand improved crude yields to acceptable levels. Pickling dingot tunnings improved yields only slightly over the acceptable values for degreased, non-pickled dingot turnings. Metal quality, as measured by density, carbon and nitrogen contamination, and spectrographic analyses, was acceptable for all scraprecycled bombs. Generally, hydrogen-in- uranium values (for metal produced from charges containing turnings) were higher than baseline values. Dingots produced from changes containing all types of tunnings (pickled or non-pickled) contained slag inclusions primarily concentrated at the top. The thickess of the layer increased as the amount of added tunnings increased. Metal produced from charges containing degreased, non- piclded core turnings contained slag and oxide inclusions throughout the metal. Cropping losses of metal from the bombs in these studies have been estimated. These data indicate that dingot lathe turnings may be recovered in good yield (>80% recovery of the turnings after cropping) by recycling to the dingot bomb in amounts up to 13% of the UF/sub 4/ after only a degreasing step. Core fabrication tunnings may be recovered in good yield only when pickled as well as degreased and added to the charge in amounts not exceeding 2% of the UF/sub 4/. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Mallinckrodt Chemical Works. Uranium Div., Weldon Spring, Mo.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-14-108-ENG-8
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-014318
- OSTI ID:
- 4052952
- Report Number(s):
- MCW-1457
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
SUMMARY TECHNICAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD JULY 1, 1960 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1960
SUMMARY TECHNICAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OCTOBER 1, 1957 TO DECEMBER 31, 1957