DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Conversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride to a solid uranium compound

Abstract

A process for converting UF.sub.6 to a solid uranium compound such as UO.sub.2 and CaF. The UF.sub.6 vapor form is contacted with an aqueous solution of NH.sub.4 OH at a pH greater than 7 to precipitate at least some solid uranium values as a solid leaving an aqueous solution containing NH.sub.4 OH and NH.sub.4 F and remaining uranium values. The solid uranium values are separated from the aqueous solution of NH.sub.4 OH and NH.sub.4 F and remaining uranium values which is then diluted with additional water precipitating more uranium values as a solid leaving trace quantities of uranium in a dilute aqueous solution. The dilute aqueous solution is contacted with an ion-exchange resin to remove substantially all the uranium values from the dilute aqueous solution. The dilute solution being contacted with Ca(OH).sub.2 to precipitate CaF.sub.2 leaving dilute NH.sub.4 OH.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Willowbrook, IL
  2. Lemont, IL
  3. Elmhurst, IL
  4. Naperville, IL
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
EMRICH & DITHMAR
OSTI Identifier:
874053
Patent Number(s):
6303090
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01F - COMPOUNDS OF THE METALS BERYLLIUM, MAGNESIUM, ALUMINIUM, CALCIUM, STRONTIUM, BARIUM, RADIUM, THORIUM, OR OF THE RARE-EARTH METALS
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01G - COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-98CH10913
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
conversion; depleted; uranium; hexafluoride; solid; compound; process; converting; ufsub6; uosub2; caf; vapor; form; contacted; aqueous; solution; nhsub4; oh; ph; precipitate; values; leaving; containing; remaining; separated; diluted; additional; water; precipitating; trace; quantities; dilute; ion-exchange; resin; remove; substantially; caohsub2; cafsub2; aqueous solution; exchange resin; uranium values; ion-exchange resin; vapor form; /423/

Citation Formats

Rothman, Alan B, Graczyk, Donald G, Essling, Alice M, and Horwitz, E Philip. Conversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride to a solid uranium compound. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Rothman, Alan B, Graczyk, Donald G, Essling, Alice M, & Horwitz, E Philip. Conversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride to a solid uranium compound. United States.
Rothman, Alan B, Graczyk, Donald G, Essling, Alice M, and Horwitz, E Philip. Mon . "Conversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride to a solid uranium compound". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874053.
@article{osti_874053,
title = {Conversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride to a solid uranium compound},
author = {Rothman, Alan B and Graczyk, Donald G and Essling, Alice M and Horwitz, E Philip},
abstractNote = {A process for converting UF.sub.6 to a solid uranium compound such as UO.sub.2 and CaF. The UF.sub.6 vapor form is contacted with an aqueous solution of NH.sub.4 OH at a pH greater than 7 to precipitate at least some solid uranium values as a solid leaving an aqueous solution containing NH.sub.4 OH and NH.sub.4 F and remaining uranium values. The solid uranium values are separated from the aqueous solution of NH.sub.4 OH and NH.sub.4 F and remaining uranium values which is then diluted with additional water precipitating more uranium values as a solid leaving trace quantities of uranium in a dilute aqueous solution. The dilute aqueous solution is contacted with an ion-exchange resin to remove substantially all the uranium values from the dilute aqueous solution. The dilute solution being contacted with Ca(OH).sub.2 to precipitate CaF.sub.2 leaving dilute NH.sub.4 OH.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}