General Electric Company

Abdul G Dada

Robert K Grier, Jr

Harold B King

John L Harmon

Richard I Larson

Frederick C Schoenig, Jr

Gerald W McKenzie

Hansjoerg Stern

John D Connolly, Jr

Daniel W McKeel

Tracy S Harmon

George Sakash

David G Linz

Eileen F Haag

Jennifer A Wetzel

A method of passivating the surface of particulate uranium oxides is disclosed comprising a process of continuously contacting uranium oxide particles with an oxygen containing and cooling counter flowing gas stream. The treatment produces a protective surface which inhibits subsequent oxygen chemisorption of the particulate uranium oxides.

Process for passivating uranium oxides to control oxidation

The disclosed invention comprises a method for assembling fuel bundles for service in nuclear reactors which minimizes damage to the assembled components of a nature that renders the components susceptible to destructive corrosion in service, and the enhanced product of the improved method. The invention includes the utilization of a temporary protective barrier, such as water soluble sodium silicate or gelatin, intermediate the components during assembly.

Scratch preventing method of assembling nuclear fuel bundles, and the

A uranium oxide product is formed in a gaseous reaction medium from uranium hexafluoride by interaction with a fuel gas such as hydrogen and oxygen. Oxide content and particle properties of the uranium oxide product are governed by the improved method and the apparatus for carrying out the method. An improvement is provided by applying a quenching gas to quench the conversion reaction of uranium hexafluoride to uranium oxide, and a combustion reactor apparatus which enables the application of the quenching gas is also provided.

Method and combustion reactor for converting uranium hexafluoride gas to

An incinerator is disclosed which includes apparatus for removing ash from an incinerating chamber and which comprises hydraulically operated plows that slide along the floor of the chamber to push the ash towards an ash trough. Ash removal efficiency is improved in accordance with the present invention by the hinged suspension of a brush from the plow face. An auxiliary plow is added to the waste material loading device to clear ash from the highest of several stepped floor levels even in the absence of no new load being entered. The auxiliary plow further includes a clevis assembly which pivots the brush away from the incinerator floor during reverse plow travel.

Incinerator ash removal systems

An improved process for the conversion of gaseous uranium hexafluoride to a uranium oxide rich composition in the presence of an active flame in a reaction zone is disclosed and comprises introducing a first gaseous reactant comprising a mixture of uranium hexafluoride and an oxygen-containing carrier gas and a second gaseous reactant comprising a reducing gas, the reactants being separated by a shielding gas as introduced to the reaction zone. The shielding gas temporarily separates the gaseous reactants and temporarily prevents substantial mixing and reacting of the gaseous reactants. The flame occurring in the reaction zone is maintained away from contact with the inlet introducing the mixture to the reaction zone. The process also includes introducing an oxygen-containing gas as a third gaseous reactant at a time when the uranium hexafluoride conversion to uranium oxide is substantially complete resulting in oxidizing the uranium oxide composition to a higher oxide of uranium and conversion of the residual reducing gas to its oxidized form. During the process there is practiced the improvement of introducing an atomized fluid having a high latent heat of evaporation so that the atomized fluid is enveloped or surrounded by the third gaseous reactant as it is introduced into the reaction zone, and the atomized fluid enters the reaction zone without contacting the structure defining the reaction zone and at a location at about the maximum temperature of the reaction zone.

Process for producing uranium rich compositions from uranium

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Wilmington, NC, United States of America

Abdul G Dada