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Title: Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash

Abstract

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.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
865401
Patent Number(s):
4509978
Application Number:
06/447,569
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21F - PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT
DOE Contract Number:  
AC14-76FF02170
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1982 Dec 07
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
recoverable; immobilization; transuranic; elements; sulfate; ash; disclosed; method; reversibly; immobilizing; 20; sulfates; mixed; metal; aluminum; cerium; samarium; europium; mixture; amounts; sufficient; form; alloy; plus; additional; amount; reduce; element; elemental; added; fluxing; agent; percentage; 10; heated; temperature; melt; cooled; separated; remainder; transuranic element; temperature sufficient; amount sufficient; transuranic elements; fluxing agent; amounts sufficient; sulfate ash; additional amount; /420/423/976/

Citation Formats

Greenhalgh, Wilbur O. Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash. United States: N. p., 1985. Web.
Greenhalgh, Wilbur O. Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash. United States.
Greenhalgh, Wilbur O. Tue . "Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865401.
@article{osti_865401,
title = {Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash},
author = {Greenhalgh, Wilbur O.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1985},
month = {1}
}

Patent: