Process for making high quality nuclear fuel grade ammonium diuranate from uranyl fluoride solutions

Patent · Tue Aug 30 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5521366

Chiang, P T; Tiepel, E W

A continuous process is disclosed for precipitating uranium from an aqueous solution formed by the hydrolysis of uranium hexafluoride gas. Undersized ammonium diuranate particles are formed in a first container by mixing the aqueous solution and an ammonium hydroxide solution containing about 10 to about 30% by weight ammonium. The ratio of the two solutions should be such that there are about 20 to 30 moles of ammonium per mole of uranium. The temperature is maintained at about 30/sup 0/ to about 50/sup 0/C. and the residence time in the first container is about 14 to about 57 seconds. The slurry is then transported to a second container for further particle growth where it is agitated at a temperature of about 20/sup 0/ to 40/sup 0/C. for a residence time of about 2 to about 9 minutes. The resulting ammonium diuranate precipitate has a surface area of about 10 to about 20 meters squared per gram. The precipitate can then be calcined and pressed into pellets.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 4401628
• OSTI ID: 5521366
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM URANATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
FUELS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLYSIS
LYSIS
MATERIALS
METALS
MIXTURES
NUCLEAR FUELS
PRECIPITATION
PRODUCTION
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLURRIES
SOLVOLYSIS
SUSPENSIONS
URANATES
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE