EP0592231A1 - Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Uran - Google Patents

Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Uran Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0592231A1
EP0592231A1 EP93308009A EP93308009A EP0592231A1 EP 0592231 A1 EP0592231 A1 EP 0592231A1 EP 93308009 A EP93308009 A EP 93308009A EP 93308009 A EP93308009 A EP 93308009A EP 0592231 A1 EP0592231 A1 EP 0592231A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
uranium
metal
chloride
sodium
reactor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP93308009A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Geoffrey Horrocks Research & Development Bailey
Rodney Research & Development Coburn
Paul Research & Development Gilchrist
Graham Research & Development Hodgson
Stuart Garfield Research & Development Holderness
Peter Bruce Research & Development Macalpine
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sellafield Ltd
Original Assignee
British Nuclear Fuels PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British Nuclear Fuels PLC filed Critical British Nuclear Fuels PLC
Publication of EP0592231A1 publication Critical patent/EP0592231A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B60/00—Obtaining metals of atomic number 87 or higher, i.e. radioactive metals
    • C22B60/02—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides
    • C22B60/0204—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium
    • C22B60/0213—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium by dry processes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B60/00—Obtaining metals of atomic number 87 or higher, i.e. radioactive metals
    • C22B60/02—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides
    • C22B60/0204—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium
    • C22B60/0286—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium refining, melting, remelting, working up uranium

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the production of uranium, and more particularly to the production of uranium from a chloride of uranium.
  • a method of producing a metal comprising uranium comprising reacting a chloride of uranium with sodium vapour to produce the metal and sodium chloride, the products of the reaction being cooled such that the sodium chloride product is below its vaporisation temperature, and separating the metal produced from the sodium chloride.
  • the chloride of uranium comprises UCl3, or UCl4.
  • another metal such as iron, for example up to 10% by weight, may be included with the chloride of uranium, and may comprise a metallic powder or a metal halide.
  • the products of the reaction may be cooled rapidly so as to produce mixed solids thereof from which the uranium metal may be separated from the sodium chloride.
  • liquid said metal may be separated from the sodium chloride.
  • apparatus for the production of a metal comprising uranium comprising a reactor, means for feeding a chloride of uranium into the reactor, means for feeding sodium into the reactor to react with the chloride, and means for discharging from the reactor products from the reaction of the sodium and the chloride.
  • the sodium feeding means includes means for heating molten sodium so as to vaporise the liquid sodium.
  • means may be provided for cooling the reactor so as to increase the rate of solidification of uranium metal produced in the reaction.
  • the discharging means may comprise a weir, or may be constituted by a rotary dispenser.
  • the reactor may be provided by a rotary kiln operating in a horizontal or near horizontal orientation.
  • the invention also includes a metal or alloy comprising uranium produced by the method of the invention.
  • a reactor 10 is shown and comprises a cylindrical mild steel vessel 12 with a roof 14 having a central inlet 16.
  • a side inlet 18 is at the top of the vessel 12 with an electric heater 20.
  • a weir assembly 22 is arranged at the bottom of the vessel 12 with an upper overflow 23 and a lower overflow 26.
  • a corrosion resistant coating (not shown) is applied to the internal surface of the vessel 12 to resist the corrosive effect of liquid uranium.
  • the vessel 12 is purged with an inert gas (eg. argon), and then a liquid chloride of uranium (eg. UCl3, or UCl4) is fed through the central inlet 16 at about 600°C.
  • a liquid chloride of uranium eg. UCl3, or UCl4
  • Molten sodium at about 200°C is fed through the side inlet 18 where it is heated to about 900°C by the heater 20 to vaporise the sodium which subsequently contacts and reacts with the liquid chloride of uranium.
  • the temperature of the vessel 12 is controlled by means (not shown) such that the reaction products of uranium metal and sodium chloride are cooled below their vaporisation temperatures thereby avoiding corrosive attack on the internal surface of the vessel 12.
  • a reactor 30 having a relatively long Inconel cylindrical vessel 32 with a water-cooled cooling jacket 33, and a roof 34 having a central inlet 36.
  • a side inlet 38 is at the top of the vessel 32 with an electric heater 40.
  • a frusto-conical lower end 42 of the vessel 32 has a rotary dispenser in the form of a rotary valve 44 for discharging residues from the vessel 32.
  • the upper portion of the internal surface of the vessel 12 may be coated with a corrosion resistant material (eg. yttria) to withstand the corrosive effect of liquid uranium.
  • the particle size of the uranium metal powder in the residue is affected by: the cooling rate in the reactor 30 (eg. affected by the coolant temperature), residence time in the reactor 30 (ie. vessel 32 length), and turbulence patterns in the reactor 30.
  • the feed of the sodium relative to the liquid chloride of uranium should be at least stoichiometric but preferably is in excess in the reactors 10, 30.
  • liquid chloride of uranium for example, metal powder (eg. iron, preferably not exceeding 10% by weight) or metal halides to provide alloying constituents in the uranium produced in the reactors 10, 30.
  • metal powder eg. iron, preferably not exceeding 10% by weight
  • metal halides to provide alloying constituents in the uranium produced in the reactors 10, 30.
  • vessels 12, 32 may be constructed from alternative materials.
  • a form of the reactor 30 could be provided by a rotary kiln operating in a horizontal or near horizontal orientation, with conventional scrapers, etc, to assist the displacement of the residues from the reaction along the kiln.

Landscapes

  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
  • Inorganic Compounds Of Heavy Metals (AREA)
EP93308009A 1992-10-07 1993-10-07 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Uran Withdrawn EP0592231A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9221078 1992-10-07
GB929221078A GB9221078D0 (en) 1992-10-07 1992-10-07 A method and an apparatus for the production of uranium

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0592231A1 true EP0592231A1 (de) 1994-04-13

Family

ID=10723095

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93308009A Withdrawn EP0592231A1 (de) 1992-10-07 1993-10-07 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Uran

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0592231A1 (de)
CA (1) CA2107921A1 (de)
GB (1) GB9221078D0 (de)
ZA (1) ZA937454B (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106498445A (zh) * 2016-10-31 2017-03-15 中国工程物理研究院材料研究所 一种含UCl3的高纯氯化物熔盐体系的制备方法、其熔盐体系及应用

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109913901B (zh) * 2019-04-28 2023-06-02 哈尔滨工程大学 一种金属铀的制备方法

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB814195A (en) * 1944-04-14 1959-06-03 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Production of uranium metal
US2997385A (en) * 1958-10-29 1961-08-22 Du Pont Method of producing refractory metal
GB883160A (en) * 1959-06-09 1961-11-22 Atomic Energy Commission High temperature reduction of uranium hexafluoride to metal
US3847596A (en) * 1968-02-28 1974-11-12 Halomet Ag Process of obtaining metals from metal halides
FR2461014A1 (fr) * 1979-07-05 1981-01-30 Cockerill Procede et installation pour la production de metaux reactifs, allies ou non, par reduction de leurs halogenures
EP0408468A1 (de) * 1989-07-06 1991-01-16 CEZUS Compagnie Européenne du Zirconium Verfahren zur Gewinnung von Uran aus oxydischen Uranverbindungen durch Chlorierung

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB814195A (en) * 1944-04-14 1959-06-03 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Production of uranium metal
US2997385A (en) * 1958-10-29 1961-08-22 Du Pont Method of producing refractory metal
GB883160A (en) * 1959-06-09 1961-11-22 Atomic Energy Commission High temperature reduction of uranium hexafluoride to metal
US3847596A (en) * 1968-02-28 1974-11-12 Halomet Ag Process of obtaining metals from metal halides
FR2461014A1 (fr) * 1979-07-05 1981-01-30 Cockerill Procede et installation pour la production de metaux reactifs, allies ou non, par reduction de leurs halogenures
EP0408468A1 (de) * 1989-07-06 1991-01-16 CEZUS Compagnie Européenne du Zirconium Verfahren zur Gewinnung von Uran aus oxydischen Uranverbindungen durch Chlorierung

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106498445A (zh) * 2016-10-31 2017-03-15 中国工程物理研究院材料研究所 一种含UCl3的高纯氯化物熔盐体系的制备方法、其熔盐体系及应用
CN106498445B (zh) * 2016-10-31 2019-02-26 中国工程物理研究院材料研究所 一种含UCl3的高纯氯化物熔盐体系的制备方法、其熔盐体系及应用

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2107921A1 (en) 1995-04-15
GB9221078D0 (en) 1992-11-18
ZA937454B (en) 1994-09-23

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