A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR CONVERTING URANIUM DIOXIDE TO URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE USING AQUEOUS HYDROGEN FLUORIDE

摘要

A continuous process for converting uranium dioxide to uranium tetra-fluoride with aqueous hydrogen fluoride has been developed. Over 98 per cent conversion has been obtained in a 4 gallon reactor at feed rates up to 2k pounds per hour using a 10 per cent stoichiometric excess of 32 per cent acid at slurry temperatures of 80 or 100°C. The reaction can be con-trolled easily;only 2 BTU/minute need be removed by cooling water when reacting 2k pounds per hour of uranium dioxide with 32 per cent acid at 100°C. Corrosion of the Hastelloy B reactor at these conditions is negligible.