Large-scale manufacturing process for separating uranium, plutonium and fission products by chlorination

摘要

Uranium chlorides higher than UCl4 are prepared by advancing finely divided uranium-fuel through a multiple hearth furnace heated to 400-700 DEG C., contacting the fuel with a countercurrent stream of chlorine and recirculated gas containing uranium chlorides higher than UCl4, removing the gases from the reaction zone via a cyclone and filter, condensing the uranium chlorides in a chamber and recirculating the non-condensed gases into the furnace via a heat exchanger where fresh Cl2 is added to the gases. The uranium chlorides may be condensed in a chamber at 100 DEG C. The furnace may be of the muffle-type and the gas pressure therein may be 1 atm. When the uranium fuel contains oxides of uranium, gaseous CCl4 may be added to the Cl2, and the resulting CO2 removed from the recycled gases.