Multiple gas streams in the post oxidation step in a process for

Abstract

This invention presents a process for conversion of gaseous uranium hexafluoride to an oxide product of uranium by introducing to a reaction zone in the presence of an active flame maintained in the reaction zone a first gaseous reactant comprising a mixture of uranium hexafluoride and an oxygen-containing gas and a second gaseous reactant comprising a reducing gas and temporarily separating the first and second gaseous reactants with a shielding gas which temporarily prevents substantial mixing and reaction between these gaseous reactants. The first and second gaseous reactants ultimately react in a primary flame to give a particulate uranium dioxide rich composition and residual reducing gas. An oxygen-containing gas as a third gaseous reactant is introduced through multiple downstream inlets with the inlet closest to the primary flame being at a location in the reaction zone where the uranium hexafluoride conversion to the uranium dioxide rich composition is substantially complete. Another embodiment of the process has the first gaseous reactant comprised of a mixture of uranium hexafluoride and a reducing gas and the second gaseous reactant comprised of an oxygen-containing gas. These processes result in oxidizing the uranium dioxide rich composition to a higher oxide of uranium with conversion of the residual reducing gas to its oxidized form.