SEPARATION OF AMERICIUM AND PROMETHIUM
Promethium-147 is separated with the long-lived rare-earth fraction in the process of obtaining cesium137 from radioactive waste material. Because of the fission yield of 2.6% aad the half life of 2.6 years, there is contained in two-year decayed solution approximately equal activities of promethium-147 and cesium-137. Ion exchange methods of separating the individual rare earths separate promethium and americium together. These two activities are difficult to separate from each other. Ion exchange methods separate small quantities effectively. Wiih larger quantities, the precipitation method described in this report has been used and has proved to be more efficient than ion exchange. By this method promethium and americium are coprecipitated as fluoridss. This fluoride precipitate is dissolved in boric acid aid HNC/sub 3/ soluthon. The resultant solution is made 3.0 M in hydrofluosilicic acid (H/sub 2/SiF/sub 6/), which, upon heating and slow digestion, decomposes into two volatile gnses, HF and SiF/sub 4/. Promethium fluoride precipitates irom the solution, and americium remains complexed in solution. ( auth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-000065
- OSTI ID:
- 4284607
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-2202
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Plant scale demonstration of promethium recovery and purification processes
DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION OF AN ION-EXCHANGE PROCESS FOR KILOGRAM-SCALE PRODUCTION OF HIGH PURITY PROMETHIUM
Related Subjects
AMERICIUM
AMERICIUM FLUORIDES
BORIC ACID
BORON OXIDES
CESIUM 137
CHEMISTRY
EFFICIENCY
HALF-LIFE
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
ION EXCHANGE
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
MIXING
NITRIC ACID
PERFORMANCE
PRECIPITATION
PROMETHIUM 147
PROMETHIUM FLUORIDES
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVITY
RARE EARTHS
RECOVERY
SILICON FLUORIDES
SOLUTIONS
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE SOLUTIONS