METHOD OF DISSOLVING ZIRCONIUM CONTAINING FUEL ELEMENTS

Patent · Mon Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 1960

OSTI ID:4838032

Irradiated U- Zr composites are dissolved at 70 to 150 deg C in a fluorine containing acid to which a complexing agent is added, such as HF with at least 7 mol % NO/sub 2/. The insoluble zirconium complex is filtered off and the liquid treated with BF/sub 3/ to convert the uranium and the fission products into volatile fluorides which are separated by fractional distillation. Other dissolving acids, such as fluorophosphoric, - arsenic, - antimonic, or -boric acid can be used, instead of NO/sub 2/ metallic fluorides can be used as complexing agents. (NPO)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-15-032258
• OSTI ID: 4838032
• Report Number(s): FR 1251767
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
• Country of Publication: France
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
ACIDS
ANTIMONY FLUORIDES
ARSENIC FLUORIDES
BORON FLUORIDES
COMPLEXES
CONVERSION
DISTILLATION
FILTERS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
LIQUIDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
PHOSPHORIC ACID
PREPARATION
SOLUTIONS
TEMPERATURE
URANIUM
URANIUM ALLOYS
VOLATILITY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM COMPLEXES