Method for recovering aluminum fluoride from fluorine-containing aqueous aluminum nitrate solutions

Patent · Tue Feb 22 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6146443

Ishimi, H; Shimauchi, H; Tanaka, C

In a process for converting UF/sub 6/ into UO/sub 2/, the UF/sub 6/ is brought into contact with an aqueous aluminum nitrate solution. The resultant product is solvent extracted with tributyl phosphate to remove uranyl nitrate. The raffinate has a fluorine/aluminum (F/Al) weight ratio within the range of from about 0.5 to about a sufficient quantity of hydrofluoric acid is added to T raffinate to minimize the solubility of aluminum fluoride (AlF/sub 3/) therein and thereby maximize the precipitation potential of AlF/sub 3/. Generally this occurs when sufficient hydrofluoric acid has been added to cause the F/Al weight ratio to be within the range of from about 1.8 to about 2.2. As a result of this treatment, the raffinate is divided into an uranium-containing aqueous solution and an AlF/sub 3/ precipitate which contains substantially no uranium.

• Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd (Japan)
• Patent Number(s): US 4374807
• OSTI ID: 6146443
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM FLUORIDES
ALUMINIUM NITRATES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CHALCOGENIDES
DISPERSIONS
ESTERS
EXTRACTION
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MIXTURES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS
PRECIPITATION
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
TBP
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
URANIUM OXIDES