Device for metallizing uranium oxide and recovering uranium

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for metallizing uranium oxide and recovering uranium, which reacts uranium oxide with a lithium metal to product uranium metal powder, and filters the resulting product using a porous filter to separate the uranium metal powder from lithium chloride molten liquid to recover the uranium metal powder. The device includes a heating furnace including at least one first heating unit, and a reactor includes a reaction vessel having a discharging valve hole located at the center of a bottom thereof and a conical bottom tapered to the discharging valve hole, a sealing lid for sealing the reaction vessel airtight, an argon gas inlet port for feeding argon gas into the reactor therethrough, and an argon gas outlet port for venting argon gas from the reactor therethrough. A valve assembly controls the discharging valve hole of the reaction vessel, and a plurality of agitators mix a mixture in the reactor. A lithium metal feeder includes a second heating unit and is removably installed through the sealing lid. A cooling jacket is set in the sealing lid, and a porous filter is located under the reactor in the heating furnace. Further, a molten salt recovery tank is positioned under the porous filter in the heating furnace.