Arsenic removal from gaseous streams.

摘要

Uranium feed materials, depending on the production process, have been found to contain arsenic (As) as a contaminant. Analyses show the As to be present as As pentafluoride (AsF(sub 5)) and/or hexafluoroarsenic acid (HAsF(sub 6)) and enter the enrichment cycle through contaminated hydrogen fluoride (HF). Problems related to corrosion of cylinder valves and plugging of feed lines and valves have been attributed to the As. Techniques to separate AsF(sub 5) from uranium hexafluoride (UF(sub 6)) using sodium fluoride (NaF) as a trapping media were successful and will be discussed. Procedures to significantly reduce (up to 97%) the level of As in HF will also be reported. 5 figs., 9 tabs.