Process for producing uranium oxide rich compositions from uranium

Abstract

An improved process for the conversion of gaseous uranium hexafluoride to a uranium oxide rich composition in the presence of an active flame in a reaction zone is achieved by introducing a first gaseous reactant comprising a mixture of uranium hexafluoride and an oxygen-containing carrier gas and a second gaseous reactant comprising a reducing gas, the reactants being separated by a shielding gas as introduced to the reaction zone. The shielding gas temporarily separates the gaseous reactants and temporarily prevents substantial mixing and reacting of the gaseous reactants. The flame occurring in the reaction zone is maintained away from contact with the inlet introducing the mixture to the reaction zone. The process also includes introducing an oxygen-containing gas as a third gaseous reactant at a time when the uranium hexafluoride conversion to uranium dioxide is substantially complete resulting in oxidizing the uranium oxide composition to a higher oxide of uranium and conversion of the residual reducing gas to its oxidized form. During the process there is practiced the improvement of introducing an atomized fluid having a high latent heat of evaporation so that the atomized fluid directly enters the reaction zone and the introduction can be made at a location so that the atomized fluid enters the primary flame, the secondary flame, or both the primary and secondary flames, or downstream from the secondary flame. The atomized fluid can be introduced alone or with a carrier gas such as an oxygen-containing gas.