Framatome Gmbh

Bruno Mesona

André Feugier

Patrick Paillou

Alain Yakoubi

Stéphane Hebrard

A reactor () for hydrolysis of uranium hexafluoride comprises a tubular injector () comprising first (), second () and third () concentric fluid circulation ducts intended to be connected respectively with a source of UF, a source of inert gas and a source of water vapor. The tubular injector () is obtained by additive manufacturing.

Reactor for hydrolysis of uranium hexafluoride

An installation for the conversion of uranium hexafluoride (UF) to uranium dioxide (UO) comprises a hydrolysis reactor () for the conversion of UFinto uranium oxyfluoride powder (UOF), a pyrohydrolysis furnace () for converting the UOFpowder supplied by the reactor () into UOpowder, a supply device () comprising reagent injection ducts () for the injection of UF, water vapor or H, and a control system () designed to control the supply device () so as to supply at least one of the reagent injection ducts () with a neutral gas during a shutdown or start-up phase of the conversion installation.

Installation and method for converting uranium hexafluoride to uranium dioxide

A conversion process for converting uranium hexafluoride into uranium dioxide includes the steps of hydrolysis of UFto uranium oxyfluoride (UOF) in a hydrolysis reactor () by reaction between gaseous UF6 and dry water vapour injected into the reactor (), pyrohydrolysis of UOFto UOin a pyrohydrolysis furnace () by reacting UOFwith dry steam and gaseous hydrogen (H) injected into the furnace (), extracting excess gas in the reactor () via a collecting device () comprising several filters (), periodically cleaning the filters () by injecting a neutral gas into the filters () from the outside to the inside of the reactor () to remove powder stuck on the filters (), and measuring the relative pressure in the reactor (). The conversion method further includes carrying out point cleaning of the filters () when the relative pressure in the reactor () exceeds a predetermined point cleaning threshold.

Method and facility for converting uranium hexafluoride into uranium dioxide

A method for converting uranium hexafluoride to uranium dioxide includes steps of hydrolysis of UFto uranium oxyfluoride (UOF) in a hydrolysis reactor () by reaction between gaseous UFand dry water vapour injected into the reactor (), and pyrohydrolysis of UOFto UOin a pyrohydrolysis furnace () by reaction of UOFwith dry water vapour and hydrogen gas (H) injected into the furnace (). The hourly mass flowrate of gaseous UFsupplied to the reactor () is between 75 and 130 kg/h, the hourly mass flowrate of dry water vapour supplied to the reactor () for hydrolysis is between 15 and 30 kg/h, and the temperature inside the reactor () is between 150 and 250° C.

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SAINT MARCEL LES VALENCE, France

Bruno Mesona