Method for the safe disposal of alkali metal

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:862875

Johnson, Terry R ^[1]

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1. Wheaton, IL

Alkali metals such as those employed in liquid metal coolant systems can be safely reacted to form hydroxides by first dissolving the alkali metal in relatively inert metals such as lead or bismuth. The alloy thus formed is contacted with a molten salt including the alkali metal hydroxide and possibly the alkali metal carbonate in the presence of oxygen. This oxidizes the alkali metal to an oxide which is soluble within the molten salt. The salt is separated and contacted with steam or steam-CO.sub.2 mixture to convert the alkali metal oxide to the hydroxide. These reactions can be conducted with minimal hydrogen evolution and with the heat of reaction distributed between the several reaction steps.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4032615
• OSTI ID: 862875
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
safe
disposal
alkali
metal
metals
employed
liquid
coolant
systems
safely
reacted
form
hydroxides
dissolving
relatively
inert
lead
bismuth
alloy
formed
contacted
molten
salt
including
hydroxide
possibly
carbonate
presence
oxygen
oxidizes
oxide
soluble
separated
steam
steam-co
mixture
convert
reactions
conducted
minimal
hydrogen
evolution
heat
reaction
distributed
steps
salt including
relatively inert
alkali metal
metal oxide
liquid metal
molten salt
alkali metals
metal hydroxide
metal coolant
metal carbonate
reaction step
safe disposal
reaction steps
metal carbon
inert metal
safely reacted
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