Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash

Patent · 01 January 1985

OSTI ID:865401

Greenhalgh, Wilbur O.

Disclosed is a method of reversibly immobilizing sulfate ash at least about 20% of which is sulfates of transuranic elements. The ash is mixed with a metal which can be aluminum, cerium, samarium, europium, or a mixture thereof, in amounts sufficient to form an alloy with the transuranic elements, plus an additional amount to reduce the transuranic element sulfates to elemental form. Also added to the ash is a fluxing agent in an amount sufficient to lower the percentage of the transuranic element sulfates to about 1% to about 10%. The mixture of the ash, metal, and fluxing agent is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the fluxing agent and the metal. The mixture is then cooled and the alloy is separated from the remainder of the mixture.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC14-76FF02170
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): 4,509,978
• Application Number: 06/447,569
• OSTI ID: 865401
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/420/423/976/
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