THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH CAPACITY, CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE FROM URANIUM OXIDES AND ORE CONCENTRATES

Methods and equipment were successfully developed for converting uranium oxides to uranium hexafluoride continuously and economically. The process involves a series of three highly exothermic reactions in which uranium triioxide is converted to dioxide with hydrogen to tetrafluoridc with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. and finally to hexafluoride with fluorine. The hexafluoride can be recovered by solid condensation liquefication, stripping by an organic solvent, or absorptiondesorption employing solids such as uranium tetrafluoride or sodium fluoride as carriers. Several types of reactors for each of the process steps are evaluated, and new and unique methods for increasing oxide reactivity are presented. Considerable test data are included. Uranium hexafluoride collection methods and a newly developed fluid-bed stripper, which is used for final clean- up of uranium hexafloride from vent gases, are described. Uranium hexafluoride distillation techniques are also discussed. The results of tbe pilotplant investigation of a process for converting impure ore concentrates directly to uranium hexafluoride are examained. (auth)