Method of producing UO2 wherein methanol wash is provided

摘要

In the production of UO2, ammonium uranyl carbonate is an intermediate product wet with water and contaminated with ammonium carbonate and is washed with methanol to remove water and ammonium carbonate. The spent methanol containing 50% water and up to 10% ammonium carbonate is subjected to rectification in a column under subatmospheric pressure with cooling the top of the tower to a low temperature to retard decomposition of ammonium carbonate and condense a liquid water fraction. Clogging of the column, vapor lines and condenser by recombination of the decomposition products is prevented. The purified methanol contains less than 5% water and may be returned for further washing of ammonium uranyl carbonate.