PROCESS DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1960

Technical Report · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1961

OSTI ID:4061331

Work was continued on fluid-bed denitration, flame denitration, pilot- plant fluid-bed reduction, pilot-plant fluid-bed hydrofluorination, and the detemnination and use of diffnsion coefficients for hydrogen in uranium. A surface-active agent was introduced into the refinery solvent by a uranium concentrate. The agent caused reduced capacity and efficiency in the re- extraction pulse columns. Studies of the fluid-bed-denitrator operating variables continued. Sulfating agent, fluidizing medium, and spray nozzle design and operation were varied, and their effect on particle-size distribution was studied. The flame denitrator is capable of sustained operation with a product assay of 80% UO/sub 2/ or better. An experimental program in the pilot-plant reduction fluid bed showed the effect of bed temperature, feed rate, and gas excess on the degree of conversion. The sustained production of dingot-grade green salt was demonstrated in the pilot-plant two-stuge hydrofluorinator, using anhydrous HF. Pantially reduced UO/sub 2/ from the pilot-plant flame denitrator was processed in a production-scale stirred-bed reduction-hydrofluorination reactor at low rates. No powder flow difficulties were experienced. Although reduction was not complete and UO/sub 2/F/sub 2/ appeared in the product, no unconverted UO/sub 2/ was found. The ability and capability to alpha -extrude hollow-cast ingot billets to thinwalled tubes for the Mark V-B outer-core fnel element, using the Weldon Spring facilities, was demonstrated. The extrusion of a test quantity of HAPO C-VI-N cores from gamma extruded dingot-uranium billets was completed. High quality tubes and very satisfactory yields were obtained. More accurate diffusion coefficients for hydrogen in uranium in the alpha , beta , and gamma phases are reported. Abnormal hydrogen iransfer in high- hydrogen cores during plant outgassing is attributed to the presence of uranium hydride. The feasibility of controlled hydrogen removal from dingoturanium core blanks by vacuum outgassing in the alpha temperature range was demonstrated in plant practice. Reproducible results were obtained. The effect of ihermal treatment in the high- alpha temperature range on the structure of beta - treated dingot uranium was investigated. Time-temperature curves were prepared for both hollow and solid core geometries, and cores with complete refinement of grain size were produced. (For preceding period see MCW-1459.) (auth)

• Research Organization: Mallinckrodt Chemical Works. Uranium Div., Weldon Spring, Mo.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-012985
• OSTI ID: 4061331
• Report Number(s): MCW-1463
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
DEGASSING
DIFFUSION
HYDROGEN
REACTOR CORE
TEMPERATURE
URANIUM
URANIUM HYDRIDES
VACUUM