URANIUM RECOVERY PROCESS
Abstract
The recovery of uranium from the acidic aqueous metal waste solutions resulting from the bismuth phosphate carrier precipitation of plutonium from solutions of neutron irradiated uranium is described. The waste solutions consist of phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and uranium as a uranyl salt, together with salts of the fission products normally associated with neutron irradiated uranium. Generally, the process of the invention involves the partial neutralization of the waste solution with sodium hydroxide, followed by conversion of the solution to a pH 11 by mixing therewith sufficient sodium carbonate. The resultant carbonate-complexed waste is contacted with a titanated silica gel and the adsorbent separated from the aqueous medium. The aqueous solution is then mixed with sufficient acetic acid to bring the pH of the aqueous medium to between 4 and 5, whereby sodium uranyl acetate is precipitated. The precipitate is dissolved in nitric acid and the resulting solution preferably provided with salting out agents. Uranyl nitrate is recovered from the solution by extraction with an ether such as diethyl ether.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 4207775
- Patent Number(s):
- 2893824
- Assignee:
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-002481
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- CHEMISTRY; ACETATES; ACETIC ACID; ACIDITY; ACIDS; ADSORPTION; BISMUTH PHOSPHATES; COLLOIDS; ETHERS; FISSION PRODUCTS; IRRADIATION; MIXING; NEUTRONS; PHOSPHORIC ACID; PLUTONIUM; PRECIPITATION; RECOVERY; SALTING-OUT AGENTS; SILICON OXIDES; SODIUM CARBONATES; SODIUM COMPOUNDS; SODIUM HYDROXIDES; SOLVENT EXTRACTION; SULFURIC ACID; TITANATES; URANIUM; URANYL COMPOUNDS; URANYL NITRATES; WASTE SOLUTIONS; WATER
Citation Formats
Hyman, H H, and Dreher, J L. URANIUM RECOVERY PROCESS. United States: N. p., 1959.
Web.
Hyman, H H, & Dreher, J L. URANIUM RECOVERY PROCESS. United States.
Hyman, H H, and Dreher, J L. Wed .
"URANIUM RECOVERY PROCESS". United States.
@article{osti_4207775,
title = {URANIUM RECOVERY PROCESS},
author = {Hyman, H H and Dreher, J L},
abstractNote = {The recovery of uranium from the acidic aqueous metal waste solutions resulting from the bismuth phosphate carrier precipitation of plutonium from solutions of neutron irradiated uranium is described. The waste solutions consist of phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and uranium as a uranyl salt, together with salts of the fission products normally associated with neutron irradiated uranium. Generally, the process of the invention involves the partial neutralization of the waste solution with sodium hydroxide, followed by conversion of the solution to a pH 11 by mixing therewith sufficient sodium carbonate. The resultant carbonate-complexed waste is contacted with a titanated silica gel and the adsorbent separated from the aqueous medium. The aqueous solution is then mixed with sufficient acetic acid to bring the pH of the aqueous medium to between 4 and 5, whereby sodium uranyl acetate is precipitated. The precipitate is dissolved in nitric acid and the resulting solution preferably provided with salting out agents. Uranyl nitrate is recovered from the solution by extraction with an ether such as diethyl ether.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1959},
month = {7}
}