Molten Metal Technology, Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Other

M4 Environmental L.p.

M4 Environmental Management Inc.

Michael J Stephenson

Paul A Haas

Robert S Eby

Waldo R Golliher

Christopher J Nagel

Robert D Bach

Thomas H Hamilton

James E Johnston

David A Everitt

Paul Haas

Brant E Kanak

Deborah H Andrews

Lark A Lundberg

A multicomponent fluid feed apparatus is disclosed that independently preheats and then mixes two or more fluid streams being introduced into a high temperature chemical reactor to promote more rigorous and complete reactions using assemblies of inert tubular elements and an integral mixing orifice plate. The design allows use of ceramic and speciality alloy materials for high temperature service with particularly corrosive halide feeds such as UF.sub.6 and HF. Radiant heat transfer to the tubular elements from external means gives the necessary system high temperatures without excessive temperatures to cause material failure. Preheating of the gaseous reactants in a separate step prior to mixing and injecting the gaseous reactants into a high temperature chemical reactor was found to provide an improved thermal conversion of UF.sub.6 to uranium oxides.

Multicomponent fluid feed apparatus with preheater and mixer for a high

The present invention provides a method for varying and controlling the chemical composition and physical properties of the uranium oxide solids produced by the thermal conversion of UF.sub.6. The method allows the production of predominantly UO.sub.2, U.sub.3 O.sub.8, or UO.sub.3 interchangeably from the same reactor simply by controlling the hydrogen and oxygen contents of the feed relative to uranium. The temperature profile of the thermal reactor is established by specifying the preheat of the feed prior to mixing, the feed composition, and the reactor wall temperature to thus vary and control the physical properties of the resulting solids according to the end use of the uranium product.

Method for the control of the composition and physical properties of

A single-step process for producing solid uranium oxide and gaseous HF from UF.sub.6 which comprises bringing together two gaseous reactant streams, one of said streams comprising UF.sub.6 optionally admixed with oxygen as O.sub.2, and the second reactant stream comprising a mixture of hydrogen as H.sub.2 or as a hydrogen-containing compound and oxygen as an oxygen-containing compound, said gaseous reactant streams being brought together at a temperature and composition such that the UF.sub.6 is converted rapidly by flame reaction into readily separable solid uranium oxide and a gaseous HF product.

Thermal process for the conversion of uranium hexafluoride

A process for preparing uranium metal or alloy thereof suitable for use in a metal-based uranium enrichment plant or other use requiring a superdense metal comprising providing a molten metal bath containing the alloy metal and feeding uranium oxide and a reactive metal reductant into the molten metal bath so that the oxide is reduced to elemental uranium and alloying the thus formed uranium with the bath metal.

Process for the conversion of uranium oxide to uranium metal and uranium

A method and apparatus producing halogenated products from metal halide feeds. In one embodiment, uranium hexafluoride is treated by separating fluorine from the metal of the uranium hexafluoride. Uranium hexafluoride is introduced into a molten metal bath under conditions whereby the uranium hexafluoride in the presence of hydrogen and oxygen can react to form a uranium dioxide and anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. The anhydrous hydrogen fluoride is removed from the molten metal bath as a gas stream and the uranium dioxide is discharged as a ceramic phase.

Method for producing halogenated products from metal halide feeds

The invention is a UF.sub.6 -recovery process of the kind in which a stream of substantially pure gaseous UF.sub.6 is directed through an externally chilled desublimer to convert the UF.sub.6 directly to an annular solid ring adhering to the interior wall of the desublimer. After accumulation of a desired amount of solid UF.sub.6, the desublimer is heated to liquefy the solid. Subsequently, the liquid is recovered from the desublimer. It has been found that during the heating operation the desublimer is subjected to excessive mechanical stresses. In addition, it has been found that the incorporation of a very small percentage of relatively noncondensable, nonreactive gas (e.g., nitrogen) in the UF.sub.6 input to the desublimer effects significant decreases in the stresses generated during the subsequent melting operation. This modification to the process provides valuable advantages in terms of reduced hazard, lower operating costs for the desublimer, and increased service life for the desublimer and its auxiliaries. The new process is especially suitable for the recovery of enriched UF.sub.6 from high-speed UF.sub.6 gas-centrifuge cascades.

UF.sub.6 -Recovery process utilizing desublimation

This invention is a method for improving dissolution efficiency in processes in which a feed fluid is introduced to a zone where it is contacted with a liquid solvent for preferentially removing a component of the feed and where part of the solvent so contacted undergoes transfer into the feed fluid to saturate the same. It has been found that such transfer significantly impairs dissolution efficiency. In accordance with the invention, an amount of the above-mentioned solvent is added to the feed fluid being introduced to the contact zone, the solvent being added in an amount sufficient to effect reduction or elimination of the above-mentioned transfer. Preferably, the solvent is added to the feed fluid in an amount saturating or supersaturating the feed fluid under the conditions prevailing in the contact zone.

Method for improving dissolution efficiency in gas-absorption and liquid

This invention is an improved gas-absorption process for the recovery of a desired component from a feed-gas mixture containing the same. In the preferred form of the invention, the process operations are conducted in a closed-loop system including a gas-liquid contacting column having upper, intermediate, and lower contacting zones. A liquid absorbent for the desired component is circulated through the loop, being passed downwardly through the column, regenerated, withdrawn from a reboiler, and then recycled to the column. A novel technique is employed to concentrate the desired component in a narrow section of the intermediate zone. This technique comprises maintaining the temperature of the liquid-phase input to the intermediate zone at a sufficiently lower value than that of the gas-phase input to the zone to effect condensation of a major part of the absorbent-vapor upflow to the section. This establishes a steep temperature gradient in the section. The stripping factors below this section are selected to ensure that virtually all of the gases in the downflowing absorbent from the section are desorbed. The stripping factors above the section are selected to ensure re-dissolution of the desired component but not the less-soluble diluent gases. As a result, a peak concentration of the desired component is established in the section, and gas rich in that component can be withdrawn therefrom. The new process provides important advantages. The chief advantage is that the process operations can be conducted in a single column in which the contacting zones operate at essentially the same pressure.

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Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

Michael J Stephenson