Removal of fluoride from aqueous nitric acid

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6343984· OSTI ID:6343984

Pruett, D. J.; Howerton, W. B.; Mailen, J. C.

Several methods for removing fluoride from aqueous nitric acid were investigated and compared with the frequently used aluminum nitrate-calcium nitrate (Ca/sup 2 +/-Al/sup 3 +/) chemical trap-distillation system. Zirconium oxynitrate solutions were found to be superior in preventing volatilization of fluoride during distillation of the nitric acid, producing decontamination factors (DFs) on the order of 2 x 10/sup 3/ (vs approx. 500 for the Ca/sup 2 +/-Al/sup 3 +/ system). Several other metal nitrate systems were tested, but they were less effective. Alumina and zirconia columns proved highly effective in removing HF from HF-HNO/sub 3/ vapors distilled through the columns; fluoride DFs on the order of 10/sup 6/ and 10/sup 4/, respectively, were obtained. A silica gel column was very effective in adsorbing HF from HF-HNO/sub 3/ solutions, producing a fluoride DF of approx. 10/sup 4/.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6343984
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-7502; ON: DE81023853
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ADSORBENTS
ADSORPTION
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM NITRATES
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
DISPERSIONS
DISTILLATION
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
MIXTURES
NITRATES
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PURIFICATION
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICA GEL
SOLUTIONS
SORPTION
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM NITRATES
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES