Method of producing sulfur tetrafluoride from uranium tetrafluoride
View Patent ↗A method for converting depleted uranium tetrafluoride (UF 4 ) to triuranium octaoxide (U 3 O 8 ), and producing sulfur tetrafluoride, using a two step process. The first step uses heat and a mixture of the uranium tetrafluoride and an alkaline compound, either an alkaline oxide or an alkaline hydroxide, to produce U 3 O 8 and a water-soluble metal halide. The second step uses heat, sulfur and a halogen to produce sulfur tetrafluoride and triuranium octaoxide.
1. A method for converting depleted uranium tetrafluoride (UF 4 ) to uranium free sulfur tetrafluoride and triuranium octaoxide (U 3 O 8 ), comprising the steps of:
heating in a first step a mixture of uranium tetrafluoride and an alkaline compound in a first step at 350 degrees C. to 650 degrees C. in a reaction chamber for 60 minutes to 240 minutes to produce a mixture of the respective alkaline fluoride and U 3 O 8 ;
continuously flushing said reaction chamber with dry air during heating;
filtering reaction offgases to prevent particulate uranium from escaping from said reaction chamber;
heating in a second step the mixture of the respective alkaline fluoride and U 3 O 8 from said first step, combined with sulfur (S) and a halogen, at a temperature of 25 degrees C. to 80 degrees C., for 6 hours to 120 hours; to produce sulfur tetrafluoride (SF 4 ) gas, and solid of the corresponding metal halide and U 3 O 8 as byproducts.
2. The method of claim 1 in which said alkaline compound comprises an alkaline oxide.
3. The method of claim 1 in which said alkaline oxide is cesium oxide.
4. The method of claim 2 in which said alkaline oxide is selected from the group consisting of sodium oxide, cesium oxide, and potassium oxide.
5. The method of claim 1 in which said halogen is bromine.
6. The method of claim 1 in which said halogen is chlorine.
7. A method for converting depleted uranium tetrafluoride (UF 4 ) to uranium free sulfur tetrafluoride and triuranium octaoxide (U 3 O 8 ), comprising the steps of:
heating in a first step a mixture of tetrafluoride and cesium oxide in a first step at 350 degrees C. to 650 degrees C. in a reaction chamber for 60 minutes to 240 minutes to produce a mixture of cesium fluoride and U 3 O 8 ;
continuously flushing said reaction chamber with dry air during heating;
filtering reaction off gasses to prevent particulate uranium from escaping from said reaction chamber;
heating in a second step the mixture of cesium fluoride and U 3 O 8 from said first step, combined with sulfur (S) and chlorine, at a temperature of 25 degrees C. to 80 degrees C., for 6 hours to 120 hours; to produce sulfur tetrafluoride (SF 4 ) gas, and solid byproducts of cesium chloride (CsCl) and U 3 O 8 .
8. A method for converting depleted uranium tetrafluoride (UF 4 ) to uranium free sulfur tetrafluoride and triuranium octaoxide (U 3 O 8 ), comprising the steps of:
heating in a first step a mixture of uranium tetrafluoride and cesium hydroxide in a first step at 350 degrees C. to 650 degrees C. in a reaction chamber for 60 minutes to 240 minutes chamber to produce a mixture of cesium fluoride and U 3 O 8 ;
continuously flushing said reaction chamber with dry air during heating;
filtering reaction offgases to prevent particulate uranium from escaping from said reaction;
heating in a second step the mixture of cesium fluoride and U 3 O 8 from said first step, combined with sulfur (S) and chlorine, at a temperature of 25 degrees C. to 80 degrees C., for 96 hours to 120 hours; to produce sulfur tetrafluoride (SF 4 ) gas, and solid byproducts of cesium chloride (CsCl) and U 3 O 8 .
9. The method of claim 1 in which said alkaline compound comprises an alkaline hydroxide.
10. The method of claim 4 in which said alkaline hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of Sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and cesium hydroxide.
11. The method of claim 1 in which said halogen is selected from the group consisting of bromine and chlorine.
12. The method of claim 9 in which alkaline hydroxide is potassium hydroxide and said halogen is chlorine.
13. The method of claim 9 in which alkaline hydroxide is potassium hydroxide and said halogen is bromine.
14. The method of claim 9 in which alkaline hydroxide is cesium hydroxide and said halogen is bromine.
15. The method of claim 2 in which alkaline oxide is sodium oxide and said halogen is bromine.
16. The method of claim 1 in which alkaline oxide sodium oxide and said halogen is chlorine.
17. The method of claim 2 in which alkaline oxide is potassium oxide and said halogen is bromine.
18. The method of claim 1 in which alkaline oxide potassium oxide and said halogen is chlorine.
19. The method of claim 1 in which said heating step in said first step is heated to 400 degrees C.-600 degrees C.
20. The method of claim 1 in which further comprises a heating step with stirring in step two at 80° C. or less for less than 10 hours, and in which said halogen is bromine.
21. The method of claim 1 in which said heating step of step one include heating in inert atmosphere.
22. The method of claim 1 in which said heating step in step two is for less than 24 hours, and further comprises a stirring step two at 80° C. or less for less than 10 hours, and in which said halogen is bromine.
23. The method of claim 1 in which said heating step in step one is at room temperature for approximately 24 hours, and said heating step in step two is for less than 24 hours, and further comprises a stirring step two at 120° C. or less for less than 10 hours, and in which said halogen is chlorine.
24. The method of claim 1 which further comprises a cryogenic condensation step of gasses produced from step two.