Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Edward A Cole

Robert S Peterson

This invention relates to an improved continuous calcining apparatus for consistently and controllably producing from calcinable reactive solid compounds of uranium, such as ammonium diuranate, uranium dioxide (UO.sub.2) having an oxygen to uranium ratio of less than 2.2. The apparatus comprises means at the outlet end of a calciner kiln for receiving hot UO.sub.2, means for cooling the UO.sub.2 to a temperature of below 100.degree. C and conveying the cooled UO.sub.2 to storage or to subsequent UO.sub.2 processing apparatus where it finally comes into contact with air, the means for receiving, cooling and conveying being sealed to the outlet end of the calciner and being maintained full of UO.sub.2 and so operable as to exclude atmospheric oxygen from coming into contact with any UO.sub.2 which is at elevated temperatures where it would readily oxidize, without the use of extra hydrogen gas in said means.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, SC, United States of America

Edward A Cole