US3377161A - Process for the production of an aluminum-uranium alloy - Google Patents

Process for the production of an aluminum-uranium alloy Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3377161A
US3377161A US494952A US49495265A US3377161A US 3377161 A US3377161 A US 3377161A US 494952 A US494952 A US 494952A US 49495265 A US49495265 A US 49495265A US 3377161 A US3377161 A US 3377161A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
aluminum
uranium
production
alloy
molten
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US494952A
Inventor
Daniel A Zappi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA)
Original Assignee
Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA)
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA) filed Critical Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA)
Priority to US494952A priority Critical patent/US3377161A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3377161A publication Critical patent/US3377161A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C43/00—Alloys containing radioactive materials
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/02—Making non-ferrous alloys by melting
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/02—Making non-ferrous alloys by melting
    • C22C1/026—Alloys based on aluminium
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C21/00—Alloys based on aluminium

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to a process for the production of aluminum-uranium alloys.
  • the method which is described in this application fundamentally consists of introducing a stream of gaseous UF into molten aluminum to obtain a U-Al alloy resulting from the reduction of the UF by the aluminum and from the solution of the uranium into the excess of the aluminum while the slag resulting from the MP3 is dissolved in an appropriate fluxing agent and is removed from the molten metal.
  • This method consists of a single step operation in order to transform UF into U-Al alloy.
  • the proportions of the U-Al alloy may be controlled with precise accuracy.
  • the purity of the obtained alloy is extremely high if pure aluminum is used in an appropriate crosslet, since the UP is usually very pure.
  • Example 1 In a crosslet made of alumina placed within an electric furnace, 350 grs. of pure aluminum (99.99%) are molten.
  • the molten metal is coated with a layer of a fiuxing agent comprising equal parts of sodium chloride, potassium chloride and sodium fluoride.
  • a stream of gaseous uranium hexafluoride is introduced under the surface of the molten aluminum at a rate of about 10 g./minute for a period of about 5 minutes.
  • the temperature is maintained at about 850 C.
  • the introduction of uranium hexafluoride is discontinued, the alumina tube is removed and the so-obtained alloy is transferred into a mould.
  • this method is particularly suitable for the production of fuel elements made of uranium-aluminum with enriched uranium.
  • a process for the production of an aluminumuranium alloy by reducing uranium hexafluoride with an excess of aluminum using a fiuxing mixture containing alkaline chlorides comprising the steps of applying a fluxing mixture of equal parts of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and sodium fluoride to the surface of a molten mass of aluminum and then introducing gaseous uranium hexafluoride under the surface of said molten aluminum while maintaining the latter at a temperature of about 850 C.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)

Description

United States Patent Ofifice 3,377,161 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 3,377,161 PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AN ALUMINUM-URANIUM ALLOY Daniel A. Zappi, Sao Paulo, Brazil, assignor to Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires, Argentina No Drawing. Filed Oct. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 494,952 1 Claim. (Cl. 75--122.5)
The present invention refers to a process for the production of aluminum-uranium alloys.
The methods known up to now, for the production of aluminum-uranium alloys consist of:
(1) Mixing the solid metals in open crosslets under reduced pressure and controlled atmosphere.
(2) Mixing solid or molten aluminum with uranium oxide or halides in solid state. Reduction is carried out and subsequently the alloy of the uranium metal with aluminum is formed. If the formed halide is chloride, the AlCl so-formed may be removed by sublimation.
(3) Mixing uranium hydrides and uranium oxide and aluminum.
The method which is described in this application, fundamentally consists of introducing a stream of gaseous UF into molten aluminum to obtain a U-Al alloy resulting from the reduction of the UF by the aluminum and from the solution of the uranium into the excess of the aluminum while the slag resulting from the MP3 is dissolved in an appropriate fluxing agent and is removed from the molten metal.
This method consists of a single step operation in order to transform UF into U-Al alloy.
In this manner all the intermediary stages which were necessary in order to transform UF into UF or U or U0 or U0 are avoided. Further, the consequential yield losses and complications inherent in the prior art processes and installations are also avoided.
The absorption of UF into the molten aluminum is quantitative and the yield in this operation is within the range of 99%.
The proportions of the U-Al alloy may be controlled with precise accuracy.
The purity of the obtained alloy is extremely high if pure aluminum is used in an appropriate crosslet, since the UP is usually very pure.
In order to illustrate the invention and without limiting the same to it, the following example is given hereinafter.
Example In a crosslet made of alumina placed within an electric furnace, 350 grs. of pure aluminum (99.99%) are molten.
The molten metal is coated with a layer of a fiuxing agent comprising equal parts of sodium chloride, potassium chloride and sodium fluoride.
Through a tube made of alumina (diameter 10 mm.) a stream of gaseous uranium hexafluoride is introduced under the surface of the molten aluminum at a rate of about 10 g./minute for a period of about 5 minutes.
During the operation the temperature is maintained at about 850 C. When the introduction of uranium hexafluoride is discontinued, the alumina tube is removed and the so-obtained alloy is transferred into a mould.
In this manner 377 grs. of aluminum-uranium alloy are obtained with an uranium content of 9.3%.
The reaction takes place as follows:
In view of what has been stated above, this method is particularly suitable for the production of fuel elements made of uranium-aluminum with enriched uranium.
I claim:
1. A process for the production of an aluminumuranium alloy by reducing uranium hexafluoride with an excess of aluminum using a fiuxing mixture containing alkaline chlorides, comprising the steps of applying a fluxing mixture of equal parts of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and sodium fluoride to the surface of a molten mass of aluminum and then introducing gaseous uranium hexafluoride under the surface of said molten aluminum while maintaining the latter at a temperature of about 850 C.
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,917,383 12/1959 Saller 122.7 3,052,536 9/ 1962 vMoore 7584.1 3,052,537 9/1962 Moore 75-84.1
FOREIGN PATENTS 798,687 7/ 1958 Great Britain. 363,156 8/1962 Switzerland.
OTHER REFERENCES Nucleonics, Fleming et al. May 1963, vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 84, 86, 87.
BENJAMIN R. PADGETT, Primary Examiner. CARL D. QUARFORTH, Examiner. M. I. SCOLNICK, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AN ALUMINUMURANIUM ALLOY BY REDUCING UNRNIUM HEXAFLUORIDE WITH AN EXCESS OF ALUMINUM USING A FLUXING MIXTURE CONTAINING ALKALINE CHLORIDES, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF APPLYING A FLUXING MIXTURE OF EQUAL PARTS OF SODIUM CHLORIDE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, AND SODIUM FLUORIDE TO THE SURFACE OF A MOLTEN MASS OF ALUMINUM AND THEN INTRODUCING GASEOUS URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE UNDER THE SURFACE OF SAID MOLTEN ALUMINUM WHILE MAINTAINING THE LATTER AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 850*C.
US494952A 1965-10-11 1965-10-11 Process for the production of an aluminum-uranium alloy Expired - Lifetime US3377161A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US494952A US3377161A (en) 1965-10-11 1965-10-11 Process for the production of an aluminum-uranium alloy

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US494952A US3377161A (en) 1965-10-11 1965-10-11 Process for the production of an aluminum-uranium alloy

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3377161A true US3377161A (en) 1968-04-09

Family

ID=23966634

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US494952A Expired - Lifetime US3377161A (en) 1965-10-11 1965-10-11 Process for the production of an aluminum-uranium alloy

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US3377161A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4509978A (en) * 1982-12-07 1985-04-09 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash
CN104694974A (en) * 2015-02-13 2015-06-10 中国科学院高能物理研究所 Electrolysis preparation method of uranium-aluminum alloy and fused salt thereof

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB798687A (en) * 1952-12-20 1958-07-23 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Production of alloys of aluminium with plutonium, uranium or thorium
US2917383A (en) * 1949-07-29 1959-12-15 Henry A Saller Fabrication of uranium-aluminum alloys
CH363156A (en) * 1957-06-19 1962-07-15 Cise Spa Process for the production of uranium metal or a uranium alloy
US3052536A (en) * 1961-03-21 1962-09-04 Raymond H Moore Preparation of actinide-aluminum alloys
US3052537A (en) * 1961-04-20 1962-09-04 Raymond H Moore Preparation of uranium alum-inum alloys

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2917383A (en) * 1949-07-29 1959-12-15 Henry A Saller Fabrication of uranium-aluminum alloys
GB798687A (en) * 1952-12-20 1958-07-23 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Production of alloys of aluminium with plutonium, uranium or thorium
CH363156A (en) * 1957-06-19 1962-07-15 Cise Spa Process for the production of uranium metal or a uranium alloy
US3052536A (en) * 1961-03-21 1962-09-04 Raymond H Moore Preparation of actinide-aluminum alloys
US3052537A (en) * 1961-04-20 1962-09-04 Raymond H Moore Preparation of uranium alum-inum alloys

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4509978A (en) * 1982-12-07 1985-04-09 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Recoverable immobilization of transuranic elements in sulfate ash
CN104694974A (en) * 2015-02-13 2015-06-10 中国科学院高能物理研究所 Electrolysis preparation method of uranium-aluminum alloy and fused salt thereof
CN104694974B (en) * 2015-02-13 2017-07-07 中国科学院高能物理研究所 U-Al alloy and its fused salt electrolysis preparation method thereof

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
GB1457242A (en) Method and apparatus for melting aluminum charge
US2778730A (en) Plutonium alloy and method of separating it from uranium
US2244608A (en) Process of making alloys of aluminum beryllium
US1659209A (en) John wesley mabden
US3377161A (en) Process for the production of an aluminum-uranium alloy
US3425826A (en) Purification of vanadium and columbium (niobium)
GB870691A (en) A method of processing fuel material of nuclear reactors
US3322510A (en) Process for the preparation of metallic nitrides
US3275564A (en) Process of fabrication of sintered compounds based on uranium and plutonium
US2446780A (en) Method of preparing uranium hydride
US3100184A (en) Tritium production by neutron-irradiation of aluminum-lithium alloys
US2497530A (en) Master alloy for introducing zirconium into magnesium
US2894832A (en) Process of producing actinide metals
US2893928A (en) Preparation of plutonium
US2951801A (en) Neutronic reaction fuel
US3177069A (en) Methods of manufacturing fissionable materials for use in nuclear reactors
US2784054A (en) Separation of uranium from other metals by hydriding and extraction with oxidizing reagents
US2848315A (en) Process for producing titanium, zirconium, and alloys of titanium and zirconium by reduction of oxides of titanium or zirconium
US3228748A (en) Process for the preparation of a uranium compound in powder form
US2452139A (en) Method of preparing uranium deuteride
GB938925A (en) Method for obtaining plutonium metal and alloys of plutonium from plutonium trichloride
US2785046A (en) Separation of uranium from other metals by hydriding
GB925916A (en) Improvements in methods of hydriding zirconium and zirconium alloys
US2886429A (en) Method for the reduction of uranium compounds
US3692888A (en) Casting hydrides