Chromatographic separations of zirconium isotopes with reduced waste liquor
This patent describes a continuous chromatographic process for the simultaneous separation of each of the isotopes of zirconium in a sample containing a mixture of zirconium isotopes to produce substantially pure fractions of each of the separated isotopes. It comprises loading a substantially vertical chromatographic separation column having an effective column height sufficient to resolve each the zirconium isotope into a distinct product fraction having a purity greater than 90% with a cation exchange resin including pentavalent phosphorus-derived active groups having a strong affinity for zirconium cations and complexes thereof; preparing an aqueous feed solution of ionic zirconium from the sample having a pH of between about 3 and 4 from a solubility limit of about 90 g/l; preparing an eluant capable of displacing zirconium ions from the exchange resin, wherein the eluant is an aqueous solution of a strong mineral acid having a normality greater than one; feeding the aqueous zirconium feed solution to the top of the located chromatographic separation column so that the feed solution begins to travel down the column.
- Assignee:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
- Patent Number(s):
- A; US 5110566
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-555342
- OSTI ID:
- 5154257
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105 -- Separation Procedures
400202 -- Isotope Effects
Isotope Exchange
& Isotope Separation
CHROMATOGRAPHY
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
ZIRCONIUM ISOTOPES