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:
Oct. 05, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 07, 2001
William E. Miller, Naperville, IL (US);
Zygmunt Tomczuk, Lockport, IL (US);
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
The subject apparatus provides a means to produce UCl in large quantities without incurring corrosion of the containment vessel or associated apparatus. Gaseous Cl is injected into a lower layer of Cd where CdCl is formed. Due to is lower density, the CdCl rises through the Cd layer into a layer of molten LiCl—KCL salt where a rotatable basket containing uranium ingots is suspended. The CdCl reacts with the uranium to form UCl and Cd. Due to density differences, the Cd sinks down to the liquid Cd layer and is reused. The UCl combines with the molten salt. During production the temperature is maintained at about 600° C. while after the uranium has been depleted the salt temperature is lowered, the molten salt is pressure siphoned from the vessel, and the salt product LiCl—KCl-30 mol % UCl is solidified.