The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 07, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 01, 1993
Richard I Larson, Wilmington, NC (US);
Thomas J Flaherty, III, Wilmington, NC (US);
William R Becker, Wilmington, NC (US);
Michael R Chilton, Wilmington, NC (US);
General Electric Company, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A process for reclaiming scrap UO.sub.2 materials yields a high-sinter-density pellet. The scrap is oxidized in a high-temperature furnace to produce U.sub.3 O.sub.8. The U.sub.3 O.sub.8 particles from the oxidation furnace are reacted with nitric acid to produce a solution of uranyl nitrate that meets the concentration and free acid requirements of the ADU precipitation process. A controlled two-stage ADU precipitation process is carried out to produce ADU particles with a size and morphology that leads to high-surface-area UO.sub.2 powder with excellent sintered pellet ceramic characteristics. After calcination and hydrogen reduction to UO.sub.2, the high-surface-area UO.sub.2 powder is passivated.