Abstract
The enriched uranium workshops in Cadarache have a double purpose on the one hand to convert uranium hexafluoride into metal or oxide, and on the other hand to recover the uranium contained in scrap materials produced in the different metallurgical transformations. The principles that have been adopted for the design and safety of these workshops are reported. The nuclear safety is based on the geometrical limitations of the processing vessels. To establish the processes and the technology of these workshops, many studies have been made since 1960, some of which have led to original achievements. The uranium hexafluoride of high isotopic enrichment is converted either by injection of the gas into ammonia or by an original process of direct hydrogen reduction to uranium tetrafluoride. The uranium contained m uranium-zirconium metal scrap can be recovered by combustion with hydrogen chloride followed treatment of the uranium chloride by fluorine in order to obtain the uranium in the hexafluoride state. Recovery of the uranium contained m various scrap materials is obtained by a conventional refining process combustion of metallic scrap, nitric acid dissolution of the oxide, solvent purification by tributyl phosphate, ammonium diuranate precipitation, calcining, reduction and hydro fluorination into uranium tetrafluoride, bomb
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Nollet, P;
Sarrat, P
[1]
- Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires
Citation Formats
Nollet, P, and Sarrat, P.
Transformations of highly enriched uranium into metal or oxide; Etudes des procedes de transformation des composes d'uranium a fort enrichissement isotopique.
France: N. p.,
1964.
Web.
Nollet, P, & Sarrat, P.
Transformations of highly enriched uranium into metal or oxide; Etudes des procedes de transformation des composes d'uranium a fort enrichissement isotopique.
France.
Nollet, P, and Sarrat, P.
1964.
"Transformations of highly enriched uranium into metal or oxide; Etudes des procedes de transformation des composes d'uranium a fort enrichissement isotopique."
France.
@misc{etde_20668366,
title = {Transformations of highly enriched uranium into metal or oxide; Etudes des procedes de transformation des composes d'uranium a fort enrichissement isotopique}
author = {Nollet, P, and Sarrat, P}
abstractNote = {The enriched uranium workshops in Cadarache have a double purpose on the one hand to convert uranium hexafluoride into metal or oxide, and on the other hand to recover the uranium contained in scrap materials produced in the different metallurgical transformations. The principles that have been adopted for the design and safety of these workshops are reported. The nuclear safety is based on the geometrical limitations of the processing vessels. To establish the processes and the technology of these workshops, many studies have been made since 1960, some of which have led to original achievements. The uranium hexafluoride of high isotopic enrichment is converted either by injection of the gas into ammonia or by an original process of direct hydrogen reduction to uranium tetrafluoride. The uranium contained m uranium-zirconium metal scrap can be recovered by combustion with hydrogen chloride followed treatment of the uranium chloride by fluorine in order to obtain the uranium in the hexafluoride state. Recovery of the uranium contained m various scrap materials is obtained by a conventional refining process combustion of metallic scrap, nitric acid dissolution of the oxide, solvent purification by tributyl phosphate, ammonium diuranate precipitation, calcining, reduction and hydro fluorination into uranium tetrafluoride, bomb reduction by calcium and slag treatment. Two separate workshops operate along these lines one takes care of the uranium with an isotopic enrichment of up to 3 p. 100, the other handles the high enrichments. The handling of each step of this process, bearing in mind the necessity for nuclear safety, has raised some special technological problems and has led to the conception of new apparatus, in particular the roasting furnace for metal turnings, the nitric acid dissolution unit, the continuous precipitator and ever safe filter and dryer for ammonium diuranate, the reduction and hydro fluorination furnace and the slag recovery apparatus These are described successively, together with the studies which led to their development The civil engineering construction was begun in June 1962. The workshops are to start production in may 1964. (authors) [French] Les ateliers de traitement d'uranium enrichi de Cadarache ont pour but: d'une part, de transformer l'hexafluorure d'uranium en metal, ou en oxyde, et d'autre part, de recuperer l'uranium contenu dans les dechets divers produits lors des operations de transformation metallurgique. Les principes qui ont ete suivis pour la conception et la securite de ces ateliers sont exposes. La securite nucleaire est basee sur la geometrie des appareils de traitement. Pour mettre au point les procedes et la technologie de ces ateliers, de nombreuses etudes ont ete conduites depuis 1960, dont certaines ont abouti a des realisations originales. La transformation de l'hexafluorure d'uranium a fort enrichissement isotopique s'effectue, soit par injection en phase gazeuse dans l'ammoniaque, soit par un procede original de reduction directe en tetrafluorure d'uranium par l'hydrogene. La recuperation de l'uranium contenu dans les dechets metalliques d'uranium-zirconium s'operera par attaque par l'acide chlorhydrique, puis traitement du chlorure d'uranium par le fluor afin d'obtenir l'uranium sous forme d'hexafluorure. La recuperation de l'uranium contenu dans les dechets divers s'opere par un procede classique de raffinage: grillage des dechets metalliques, dissolution de l'oxyde obtenu dans l'acide nitrique, purification par solvant au tributyl-phosphate, precipitation a l'ammoniaque, calcination reduction fluoruration, calciothermie et traitement des scories. Deux ateliers separes fonctionnent suivant ce procede: l'un traite l'uranium d'un enrichissement isotopique inferieur ou egal a 3 p. 100, l'autre est reserve aux forts enrichissements. La mise en oeuvre, d'une maniere nucleairement sure, de chacune des etapes du procede a pose des problemes technologiques particuliers et a conduit a concevoir des appareillages speciaux, notamment: four de grillage des copeaux metalliques, appareil de dissolution nitrique, appareil de precipitation en continu et filtre secheur du diuranate d'ammonium, four de reduction fluoruration, appareil de traitement des scories, qui sont decrits successivement, ainsi que les etudes qui ont ete menees pour leur mise au point. Les premiers travaux de genie civil ont debute en juin 1962; l'installation doit entrer en activite en mai 1964. (auteurs)}
place = {France}
year = {1964}
month = {Jul}
}
title = {Transformations of highly enriched uranium into metal or oxide; Etudes des procedes de transformation des composes d'uranium a fort enrichissement isotopique}
author = {Nollet, P, and Sarrat, P}
abstractNote = {The enriched uranium workshops in Cadarache have a double purpose on the one hand to convert uranium hexafluoride into metal or oxide, and on the other hand to recover the uranium contained in scrap materials produced in the different metallurgical transformations. The principles that have been adopted for the design and safety of these workshops are reported. The nuclear safety is based on the geometrical limitations of the processing vessels. To establish the processes and the technology of these workshops, many studies have been made since 1960, some of which have led to original achievements. The uranium hexafluoride of high isotopic enrichment is converted either by injection of the gas into ammonia or by an original process of direct hydrogen reduction to uranium tetrafluoride. The uranium contained m uranium-zirconium metal scrap can be recovered by combustion with hydrogen chloride followed treatment of the uranium chloride by fluorine in order to obtain the uranium in the hexafluoride state. Recovery of the uranium contained m various scrap materials is obtained by a conventional refining process combustion of metallic scrap, nitric acid dissolution of the oxide, solvent purification by tributyl phosphate, ammonium diuranate precipitation, calcining, reduction and hydro fluorination into uranium tetrafluoride, bomb reduction by calcium and slag treatment. Two separate workshops operate along these lines one takes care of the uranium with an isotopic enrichment of up to 3 p. 100, the other handles the high enrichments. The handling of each step of this process, bearing in mind the necessity for nuclear safety, has raised some special technological problems and has led to the conception of new apparatus, in particular the roasting furnace for metal turnings, the nitric acid dissolution unit, the continuous precipitator and ever safe filter and dryer for ammonium diuranate, the reduction and hydro fluorination furnace and the slag recovery apparatus These are described successively, together with the studies which led to their development The civil engineering construction was begun in June 1962. The workshops are to start production in may 1964. (authors) [French] Les ateliers de traitement d'uranium enrichi de Cadarache ont pour but: d'une part, de transformer l'hexafluorure d'uranium en metal, ou en oxyde, et d'autre part, de recuperer l'uranium contenu dans les dechets divers produits lors des operations de transformation metallurgique. Les principes qui ont ete suivis pour la conception et la securite de ces ateliers sont exposes. La securite nucleaire est basee sur la geometrie des appareils de traitement. Pour mettre au point les procedes et la technologie de ces ateliers, de nombreuses etudes ont ete conduites depuis 1960, dont certaines ont abouti a des realisations originales. La transformation de l'hexafluorure d'uranium a fort enrichissement isotopique s'effectue, soit par injection en phase gazeuse dans l'ammoniaque, soit par un procede original de reduction directe en tetrafluorure d'uranium par l'hydrogene. La recuperation de l'uranium contenu dans les dechets metalliques d'uranium-zirconium s'operera par attaque par l'acide chlorhydrique, puis traitement du chlorure d'uranium par le fluor afin d'obtenir l'uranium sous forme d'hexafluorure. La recuperation de l'uranium contenu dans les dechets divers s'opere par un procede classique de raffinage: grillage des dechets metalliques, dissolution de l'oxyde obtenu dans l'acide nitrique, purification par solvant au tributyl-phosphate, precipitation a l'ammoniaque, calcination reduction fluoruration, calciothermie et traitement des scories. Deux ateliers separes fonctionnent suivant ce procede: l'un traite l'uranium d'un enrichissement isotopique inferieur ou egal a 3 p. 100, l'autre est reserve aux forts enrichissements. La mise en oeuvre, d'une maniere nucleairement sure, de chacune des etapes du procede a pose des problemes technologiques particuliers et a conduit a concevoir des appareillages speciaux, notamment: four de grillage des copeaux metalliques, appareil de dissolution nitrique, appareil de precipitation en continu et filtre secheur du diuranate d'ammonium, four de reduction fluoruration, appareil de traitement des scories, qui sont decrits successivement, ainsi que les etudes qui ont ete menees pour leur mise au point. Les premiers travaux de genie civil ont debute en juin 1962; l'installation doit entrer en activite en mai 1964. (auteurs)}
place = {France}
year = {1964}
month = {Jul}
}