Method for converting uranium oxides to uranium metal

Patent · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5979851

Duerksen, W K

A process is described for converting scrap and waste uranium oxide to uranium metal. The uranium oxide is sequentially reduced with a suitable reducing agent to a mixture of uranium metal and oxide products. The uranium metal is then converted to uranium hydride and the uranium hydride-containing mixtures is then cooled to a temperature less than -100/sup 0/C in an inert liquid which renders the uranium hydride ferromagnetic. The uranium hydride is then magnetically separated from the cooled mixture. The separated uranium hydride is readily converted to uranium metal by heating in an inert atmosphere. This process is environmentally acceptable and eliminates the use of hydrogen fluoride as well as the explosive conditions encountered in the previously employed bomb-reduction processes utilized for converting uranium oxides to uranium metal.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): 4,717,420
• Application Number: 07/006,841, ON: DE88000860
• OSTI ID: 5979851
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050000 -- Nuclear Fuels
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101* -- Metals & Alloys-- Preparation & Fabrication
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONCENTRATORS
ELEMENTS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MAGNETIC SEPARATORS
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
REDUCING AGENTS
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM HYDRIDES
URANIUM OXIDES