Separation of uranium from technetium in recovery of spent nuclear fuel

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:865509

Friedman, Horace A ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

A method for decontaminating uranium product from the Purex process comprises addition of hydrazine to the product uranyl nitrate stream from the Purex process, which contains hexavalent (UO.sub.2.sup.2+) uranium and heptavalent technetium (TcO.sub.4 -). Technetium in the product stream is reduced and then complexed by the addition of oxalic acid (H.sub.2 C.sub.2 O.sub.4), and the Tc-oxalate complex is readily separated from the uranium by solvent extraction with 30 vol. % tributyl phosphate in n-dodecane.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4528165
• OSTI ID: 865509
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

separation
uranium
technetium
recovery
spent
nuclear
fuel
method
decontaminating
product
purex
process
comprises
addition
hydrazine
uranyl
nitrate
stream
contains
hexavalent
uo
heptavalent
tco
reduced
complexed
oxalic
acid
tc-oxalate
complex
readily
separated
solvent
extraction
30
vol
tributyl
phosphate
n-dodecane
readily separated
purex process
uranyl nitrate
oxalic acid
tributyl phosphate
product stream
solvent extraction
nuclear fuel
spent nuclear
process comprises
uranium product
solvent extract
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