British Nuclear Fuels Plc

Nexia Solutions Limited

Paul Gilchrist

Graham Hodgson

Geoffrey Horrocks Bailey

Colin Whitehead

Duncan Alfred Webster

Paul Raymond Gregson

Terence Martin Cox

The invention provides a series of techniques for processing uranium containing feed materials such as uranium ores, reprocessed uranium, uranium containing residues and uranium containing spent fuel. The processes described involve fluorination of uranium containing material, separation of the uranium containing material from other materials based on ionization thereof with the non-ionized fluorine containing material being recycled. Metallic uranium and/or plutonium and/or fission products may result. The technique offers advantages in terms of the range of materials which can be reprocessed and a reduction in the number of complexity of stages which are involved in the process.

Processing materials

Improved processing apparatus and methods are provided which involve the selective ionisation of a feed material and the separation of ionised and non-ionised species. Introduction of a chemical material to cause selective transition to a non-ionised and/or solid or liquid state of part of the feed is provided. The process offers high through puts by virtue of the ionised and non-ionised species being in equilibrium with one another.

Separation of isotopes by ionization

Uranium chloride is reacted with either magnesium, sodium or calcium in the presence of a molten salt comprising light metal chlorides including lithium chloride. The temperature is maintained below the melting point of uranium. The magnesium may be in the form of magnesium-cadmium alloy, the temperature being maintained below the temperature at which magnesium and cadmium vaporize. The components of the molten salt may be first fused together so as to form the molten salt eutectic. Subsequently after separation of the uranium, products of the reaction may be recovered and recycled.

Method of producing uranium metal

In a method of producing uranium (IV) fluoride, a feedstock comprising uranium metal or alloy is dissolved in hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid to produce a clear solution. The solution is heated and excess hydrofluoric acid added to produce a precipitate comprising uranium (IV) fluoride.

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Preston, United Kingdom

Paul Gilchrist