METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR PROCESSING URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE INTO URANIUM METAL AND HYDROGEN FLUORIDE Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: uranium production. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to technology and equipment for processing uranium hexafluoride with different ²³⁵U nuclide contents into uranium metal and anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. Application of invention is most preferred to process uranium with dump-waste ²³⁵U contents. Method consists of four consecutive-parallel stages. In the first one, uranium hexafluoride is reduced with hydrogen into uranium and lower uranium fluorides in plasma or gas-plasma apparatus, and high-temperature uranium-fluorine-hydrogen stream is directed onto surface serving to load uranium tetrafluoride disposed in magnetic field-permeable metal-dielectric reactor placed in inductor of high- frequency generator. In the second stage, uranium is completely reduced into element state, which drops into lower section of metal- dielectric reactor. The third stage: removal of uranium through S- shaped pipeline with its one end embedded into bottom of metal- dielectric reactor and the other end located over cooled mold serving to pour out liquid uranium. The fourth stage: withdrawal of gaseous anhydrous hydrogen fluoride through filtration unit fitted with ejection-type blowing-away means to regenerate filter elements. In this stage, second commercial product Ц anhydrous hydrogen fluoride is discharged from process apparatus. Installation contains gas-phase reactor coupled with high-temperature generator, metal-dielectric reactor powered from high-frequency generator, liquid uranium and anhydrous hydrogen fluoride discharge means with gas exhaust ecological treatment means. EFFECT: enhanced process efficiency. 17 cl, 2 dwg