Lithium metal reduction of plutonium oxide to produce plutonium metal
Abstract
A method is described for the chemical reduction of plutonium oxides to plutonium metal by the use of pure lithium metal. Lithium metal is used to reduce plutonium oxide to alpha plutonium metal (alpha-Pu). The lithium oxide by-product is reclaimed by sublimation and converted to the chloride salt, and after electrolysis, is removed as lithium metal. Zinc may be used as a solvent metal to improve thermodynamics of the reduction reaction at lower temperatures. Lithium metal reduction enables plutonium oxide reduction without the production of huge quantities of CaO--CaCl.sub.2 residues normally produced in conventional direct oxide reduction processes.
- Inventors:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868321
- Patent Number(s):
- 5118343
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- lithium; metal; reduction; plutonium; oxide; produce; method; described; chemical; oxides; pure; reduce; alpha; alpha-pu; by-product; reclaimed; sublimation; converted; chloride; salt; electrolysis; removed; zinc; solvent; improve; thermodynamics; reaction; temperatures; enables; production; huge; quantities; cao-cacl; residues; normally; produced; conventional; direct; processes; plutonium oxide; lithium oxide; lithium metal; reduction process; chloride salt; plutonium metal; reduction reaction; normally produced; chemical reduction; plutonium oxides; solvent metal; /75/
Citation Formats
Coops, Melvin S. Lithium metal reduction of plutonium oxide to produce plutonium metal. United States: N. p., 1992.
Web.
Coops, Melvin S. Lithium metal reduction of plutonium oxide to produce plutonium metal. United States.
Coops, Melvin S. Wed .
"Lithium metal reduction of plutonium oxide to produce plutonium metal". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868321.
@article{osti_868321,
title = {Lithium metal reduction of plutonium oxide to produce plutonium metal},
author = {Coops, Melvin S},
abstractNote = {A method is described for the chemical reduction of plutonium oxides to plutonium metal by the use of pure lithium metal. Lithium metal is used to reduce plutonium oxide to alpha plutonium metal (alpha-Pu). The lithium oxide by-product is reclaimed by sublimation and converted to the chloride salt, and after electrolysis, is removed as lithium metal. Zinc may be used as a solvent metal to improve thermodynamics of the reduction reaction at lower temperatures. Lithium metal reduction enables plutonium oxide reduction without the production of huge quantities of CaO--CaCl.sub.2 residues normally produced in conventional direct oxide reduction processes.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1992},
month = {1}
}
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