Production of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ by uranyl formate precipitation and calcination in a full-scale pilot facility

Technical Report · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6512161

Kendrick, L S; Wilson, W A; Mosley, W C

The uranyl formate process for the production of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ with a controlled particle size has been extensively studied on a laboratory scale. Based on this study, a pilot-scale facility (the Uranyl Formate Facility) was built to investigate the key steps of the process on a larger scale. These steps were the precipitation of a uranyl formate monohydrate salt and the calcination of this salt to U/sub 3/O/sub 8/. Tests of the facility and process were conducted at conditions recommended by the laboratory-scale studies for a full-scale production facility. These tests demonstrated that U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ of the required particle size for the PM process can be produced on a plant scale by the calcination of uranyl formate crystals. The performance of the U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ produced by the uranyl formate process in fuel tube fabrication was also investigated. Small-scale extrusion tests of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/-Al cores which used the U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ produced in the Uranyl Formate Facility were conducted. These tests demonstrated that the U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ quality was satisfactory for the PM process.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 6512161
• Report Number(s): DP-1688; ON: DE85001772
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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URANIUM OXIDES U3O8
PRODUCTION
CALCINATION
FORMATES
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URANYL COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
OXIDES
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