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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

PLUTONIUM RECOVERY FROM NEUTRON-BOMBARDED URANIUM FUEL

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4796850

A process of recovering plutonium from neutronbombarded uranium fuel by dissolving the fuel in equimolar aluminum chloride-potassium chloride; heating the mass to above 700 deg C for decomposition of plutonium tetrachloride to the trichloride; extracting the plutonium trichloride into a molten salt containing from 40 to 60 mole % of lithium chloride, from 15 to 40 mole % of sodium chloride, and from 0 to 40 mole % of potassium chloride or calcium chloride; and separating the layer of equimolar chlorides containing the uranium from the layer formed of the plutonium-containing salt is described. (AEC)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-16-013164
Assignee:
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Patent Number(s):
US 3029130
OSTI ID:
4796850
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English