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Title: Recovering and recycling uranium used for production of molybdenum-99

Abstract

A processes for recycling uranium that has been used for the production of molybdenum-99 involves irradiating a solution of uranium suitable for forming fission products including molybdenum-99, conditioning the irradiated solution to one suitable for inducing the formation of crystals of uranyl nitrate hydrates, then forming the crystals and a supernatant and then separating the crystals from the supernatant, thus using the crystals as a source of uranium for recycle. Molybdenum-99 is recovered from the supernatant using an adsorbent such as alumina. Another process involves irradiation of a solid target comprising uranium, forming an acidic solution from the irradiated target suitable for inducing the formation of crystals of uranyl nitrate hydrates, then forming the crystals and a supernatant and then separating the crystals from the supernatant, thus using the crystals as a source of uranium for recycle. Molybdenum-99 is recovered from the supernatant using an adsorbent such as alumina.

Inventors:
; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1413208
Patent Number(s):
9842664
Application Number:
14/038,424
Assignee:
Los Alamos National Security, LLC (Los Alamos, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21G - CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2013 Sep 26
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Reilly, Sean Douglas, May, Iain, Copping, Roy, and Dale, Gregory Edward. Recovering and recycling uranium used for production of molybdenum-99. United States: N. p., 2017. Web.
Reilly, Sean Douglas, May, Iain, Copping, Roy, & Dale, Gregory Edward. Recovering and recycling uranium used for production of molybdenum-99. United States.
Reilly, Sean Douglas, May, Iain, Copping, Roy, and Dale, Gregory Edward. Tue . "Recovering and recycling uranium used for production of molybdenum-99". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1413208.
@article{osti_1413208,
title = {Recovering and recycling uranium used for production of molybdenum-99},
author = {Reilly, Sean Douglas and May, Iain and Copping, Roy and Dale, Gregory Edward},
abstractNote = {A processes for recycling uranium that has been used for the production of molybdenum-99 involves irradiating a solution of uranium suitable for forming fission products including molybdenum-99, conditioning the irradiated solution to one suitable for inducing the formation of crystals of uranyl nitrate hydrates, then forming the crystals and a supernatant and then separating the crystals from the supernatant, thus using the crystals as a source of uranium for recycle. Molybdenum-99 is recovered from the supernatant using an adsorbent such as alumina. Another process involves irradiation of a solid target comprising uranium, forming an acidic solution from the irradiated target suitable for inducing the formation of crystals of uranyl nitrate hydrates, then forming the crystals and a supernatant and then separating the crystals from the supernatant, thus using the crystals as a source of uranium for recycle. Molybdenum-99 is recovered from the supernatant using an adsorbent such as alumina.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Tue Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

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