LABORATORY EVALUATION OF CRUSHED CROWN MAGNESIUM FOR URANIUM METAL PRODUCTION

Technical Report · Tue May 31 04:00:00 EDT 1960

OSTI ID:4166495

Weidman, S W; Leifield, R F

"Crushed crown" magnesium (Pidgeon process product) has been evaluated on a small scale for possible use in uranium production. This evaluation is based on results obtained when the material was used to reduce uranium tetrafluoride (green salt) in a laboratory-sized version of the production dingot (direct ingot) thermite bomb scaled to produce four kilograms of uranium metal. The small-scale reactor is known to simulate closely the production-size reactor; it was shown that 4-kg and 3300-lb dingot bombs yield uranium containing similar hydrogen concentrations when the bombs are ignited at identical charge-center temperatures and that metal purity and density are generally comparable for uranium from production and laboratory-scale bombs. However, crude uranium yields from laboratory bombs are generally lower than from production bombs when both are ignited at identical charge temperatures. Crushed crown magnesium differs from "chipped" magnesium (the type used in many A.E.C. ura nium production plants) primarily in its higher specific surface area, hydrogen content, and nitrogen content. However, purity and hydrogen content of uranium produced under simulated plant conditions were acceptable when using the best of the five types of crushed crown magnesium tested. No critical problems in either handling or bomb behavior, such as routine premature ignition or increased reaction violence, were noted. Average crude uranium yields were somewhat (3%) below those attained using chipped magnesium. Crushed crown magnesium can probably be obtained for approximately 10% less than the cost of chipped magnesium. Since the poorer yields in the smallscale reactor may reasonably be expected to be overcome in the plant, plant testing under extended preignition heating conditions, particularly of -10 +30 mesh material, is therefore recommended. (auth)

• Research Organization: Mallinckrodt Chemical Works. Uranium Div., Weldon Spring, Mo.
• NSA Number: NSA-14-015672
• OSTI ID: 4166495
• Report Number(s): MCW-1443
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
DENSITY
HEATING
HYDROGEN
IMPURITIES
MAGNESIUM
METALS
NITROGEN
PRODUCTION
REDUCTION
SURFACES
TESTING
URANIUM
URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE