A FUSED SALT-FLUORIDE VOLATILITY PROCESS FOR RECOVERY AND DECONTAMINATION OF URANIUM
A preliminary chemical flowsheet is presented of a fluoride volatility process for recovering and decontaminating U from heterogeneous reactor fuels after dissolution in a fused salt. In laboratory work, a gross BETA decontamination factor of >10/sup 4/ was obtained in the fluorination of a UF/sub 4/-- NaF-- Zr F/sub 4/ melt by passing the product UF/sub 6/ through NaF at 650 deg C. The solubility of UF/sub 6/ in molten NaF--ZrF/sub 4/ was shown in kinetic studies to cause a lag in the evolution of UF/sub 6/ from the fluorinator. Corrosion of nickel in the fluorination step appeared to be 2 to 4 mils/hr during the time that U was present. The average corrosion rate over the process as a whole yvas less than 0.4 mil/hr. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-12-006549
- OSTI ID:
- 4309560
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-1885(Del.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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