Method for the safe disposal of alkali metal
Abstract
Alkali metals such as those employed in liquid metal coolant systems can be safely reacted to form hydroxides by first dissolving the alkali metal in relatively inert metals such as lead or bismuth. The alloy thus formed is contacted with a molten salt including the alkali metal hydroxide and possibly the alkali metal carbonate in the presence of oxygen. This oxidizes the alkali metal to an oxide which is soluble within the molten salt. The salt is separated and contacted with steam or steam-CO.sub.2 mixture to convert the alkali metal oxide to the hydroxide. These reactions can be conducted with minimal hydrogen evolution and with the heat of reaction distributed between the several reaction steps.
- Inventors:
-
- Wheaton, IL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 862875
- Patent Number(s):
- 4032615
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01D - COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS, i.e. LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CAESIUM, OR FRANCIUM
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; safe; disposal; alkali; metal; metals; employed; liquid; coolant; systems; safely; reacted; form; hydroxides; dissolving; relatively; inert; lead; bismuth; alloy; formed; contacted; molten; salt; including; hydroxide; possibly; carbonate; presence; oxygen; oxidizes; oxide; soluble; separated; steam; steam-co; mixture; convert; reactions; conducted; minimal; hydrogen; evolution; heat; reaction; distributed; steps; salt including; relatively inert; alkali metal; metal oxide; liquid metal; molten salt; alkali metals; metal hydroxide; metal coolant; metal carbonate; reaction step; safe disposal; reaction steps; metal carbon; inert metal; safely reacted; /423/
Citation Formats
Johnson, Terry R. Method for the safe disposal of alkali metal. United States: N. p., 1977.
Web.
Johnson, Terry R. Method for the safe disposal of alkali metal. United States.
Johnson, Terry R. Sat .
"Method for the safe disposal of alkali metal". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/862875.
@article{osti_862875,
title = {Method for the safe disposal of alkali metal},
author = {Johnson, Terry R},
abstractNote = {Alkali metals such as those employed in liquid metal coolant systems can be safely reacted to form hydroxides by first dissolving the alkali metal in relatively inert metals such as lead or bismuth. The alloy thus formed is contacted with a molten salt including the alkali metal hydroxide and possibly the alkali metal carbonate in the presence of oxygen. This oxidizes the alkali metal to an oxide which is soluble within the molten salt. The salt is separated and contacted with steam or steam-CO.sub.2 mixture to convert the alkali metal oxide to the hydroxide. These reactions can be conducted with minimal hydrogen evolution and with the heat of reaction distributed between the several reaction steps.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977}
}
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