Removal of fluoride impurities from UF/sub 6/ gas

Patent · Tue Nov 26 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5835132

Beitz, J V

A method of purifying a UF/sub 6/ gas stream containing one or more metal fluoride impurities composed of a transuranic metal, transition metal or mixtures thereof, is carried out by contacting the gas stream with a bed of UF/sub 5/ in a reaction vessel under conditions where at least one impurity reacts with the UF/sub 5/ to form a nongaseous product and a treated gas stream, and removing the treated gas stream from contact with the bed. The nongaseous products are subsequently removed in a reaction with an active fluorine affording agent to form a gaseous impurity which is removed from the reaction vessel. The bed of UF/sub 5/ is formed by the reduction of UF/sub 6/ in the presence of UV light. One embodiment of the reaction vessel includes a plurality of UV light sources as tubes on which UF/sub 5/ is formed.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
• Patent Number(s): US 4555318
• OSTI ID: 5835132
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENS
IMPURITIES
NONMETALS
PURIFICATION
RADIATIONS
REMOVAL
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE