Metal recovery from porous materials

Patent · Tue Oct 13 00:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:7278897

Sturcken, E F

A method is described for recovering plutonium and other metals from materials by leaching comprising the steps of incinerating the materials to form a porous matrix as the residue of incineration, immersing the matrix into acid in a microwave-transparent pressure vessel, sealing the pressure vessel, and applying microwaves so that the temperature and the pressure in the pressure vessel increase. The acid for recovering plutonium can be a mixture of HBF[sub 4] and HNO[sub 3] and preferably the pressure is increased to at least 100 PSI and the temperature to at least 200 C. The porous material can be pulverized before immersion to further increase the leach rate.

• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: PTO; EDB-94-086786
• Patent Number(s): US 5154899; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-723122
• OSTI ID: 7278897
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 28 Jun 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PLUTONIUM
MATERIALS RECOVERY
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
COMBUSTION
LEACHING
MICROWAVE HEATING
FLUOROBORIC ACID
NITRIC ACID
PRESSURIZATION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
ACTINIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEATING
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing