Patent US4235740A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4235740A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for the manufacture of (U,Pu)O2 mixed crystals
Assignee: Alkem GmbH
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Filing: 1979-03-13
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Granted: 1980-11-25
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Expires: 1999-03-13
Abstract
Abstract Manufacture of uranium/plutonium oxide mixed crystals soluble in nitric acid in which a solution of uranium nitrate and plutonium nitrate are oxidized to cause the plutonium to reach valence VI. The oxidized solution is admixed with ammonium carbonate, oxalate or carbamate and the pH adjusted to 8.1 to 8.5 to precipitate an ammonium uranyl plutonyl carbonate, oxalate or carbamate. The precipitate is calcined to uranium/plutonium oxide.
Inventors
- 👤 Wolf-Gunther Druckenbrodt
- 👤 Siegfried Baumann
- 👤 Roland Krause
- 👤 Wolfgang Stoll
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 08:56
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/42; G21C3/58; G21C3/62; G21C3/623; C; C01; C01G; C01G56/00; C01G56/003; C01G56/004; C01P; C01P2004/00; C01P2004/60; C01P2004/61; C01P2006/00; C01P2006/10; C01P2006/11; C01P2006/12; C01P2006/20; C01P2006/80; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30; Y10; Y10S; Y10S376/00; Y10S376/90; Y10S376/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
Method for the manufacture of uranium/plutonium oxide mixed crystals soluble in 10 molar nitric acid as a preliminary stage for the fabrication of sintered nuclear fuel bodies with uranium-and plutonium-containing materials, which comprises (a) oxidizing a mixture of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate in aqueous solution to cause the plutonium to reach a stage of oxidation with a valence VI, (b) admixing the oxidized solution with an aqueous solution of a salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate and adjusting the pH of the admixture to 8.1-8.5 by adding NH 3 as well as CO 2 while maintaining a temperature of about 45° to 60° C. to precipitate an ammonium uranyl plutonyl carbonate, oxalate or carbamate depending on the use the particular salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate, (c) calcining the precipitate in a reducing atmosphere at about 300°-700° C. to produce a uranium-plutonium oxide, and (d) adjusting the uranium-plutonium oxide to a desired oxygen/metal ratio.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
Method for the manufacture of uranium/plutonium oxide mixed crystals soluble in 10 molar nitric acid as a preliminary stage for the fabrication of sintered nuclear fuel bodies with uranium-and plutonium-containing materials, which comprises (a) oxidizing a mixture of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate in aqueous solution to cause the plutonium to reach a stage of oxidation with a valence VI, (b) admixing the oxidized solution with an aqueous solution of a salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate and adjusting the pH of the admixture to 8.1-8.5 by adding NH 3 as well as CO 2 while maintaining a temperature of about 45° to 60° C. to precipitate an ammonium uranyl plutonyl carbonate, oxalate or carbamate depending on the use the particular salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate, (c) calcining the precipitate in a reducing atmosphere at about 300°-700° C. to produce a uranium-plutonium oxide, and (d) adjusting the uranium-plutonium oxide to a desired oxygen/metal ratio.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the salt is ammonium carbonate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the salt is ammonium oxalate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the salt is ammonium carbamate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the plutonium content in the starting solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate is an amount up to the amount of the uranium content.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the oxidation to the valence stage VI is achieved by heating the aqueous solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate to at least 135° C. and concentrating the solution by evaporation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method according to claim 6, wherein the aqueous solution is heated at 135° to 150° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the calcined precipitate is oxidized in air to form a uranium-plutonium oxide with an oxygen-to-metal ratio of 2.1 to 2.2.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
110 words
Method of producing compounds having the general formula (NH.sub.4).sup.+.sub.n [(U/Pu)O.sub.2 ].sup.2+.sub.m (X).sub.i.sup.2- wherein X represents a member of the group consisting of CO 3 , (COO) 2 and NH 2 COO, and wherein n is a numeral from 0 to 6, m means one of the numbers one and two, and i is a numeral from 1 to 5, which comprises oxidizing solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate to cause the plutonium to be oxidized to valence VI, admixing the oxidized solution with a salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate to produce a precipitate having said formula, and separating said precipitate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
110 words
Method of producing compounds having the general formula (NH.sub.4).sup.+.sub.n [(U/Pu)O.sub.2 ].sup.2+.sub.m (X).sub.i.sup.2- wherein X represents a member of the group consisting of CO 3 , (COO) 2 and NH 2 COO, and wherein n is a numeral from 0 to 6, m means one of the numbers one and two, and i is a numeral from 1 to 5, which comprises oxidizing solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate to cause the plutonium to be oxidized to valence VI, admixing the oxidized solution with a salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate to produce a precipitate having said formula, and separating said precipitate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method according to claim 9, wherein X is CO 3 , and wherein the salt is ammonium carbonate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method according to claim 9, wherein X is (COO) 2 , and wherein the salt is ammonium oxalate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method according to claim 9, wherein X is NH 2 COO, and wherein the salt is ammonium carbamate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
108 words
Method of producing compounds having the formula (NH.sub.4).sub.n [(U/Pu) O.sub.2 ](X).sub.3 wherein X represents a member of the group consisting of CO 3 , (COO) 2 and NH 2 COO, and wherein n is a numeral from 0 to 4, which comprises oxidizing a solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate to cause the plutonium to be oxidized to valence VI, admixing the oxidized solution with a salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate, maintaining a temperature of about 45° to 60° C. and a pH of 8.1 to 8.5 to produce a precipitate having said formula, and separating said precipitate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
108 words
Method of producing compounds having the formula (NH.sub.4).sub.n [(U/Pu) O.sub.2 ](X).sub.3 wherein X represents a member of the group consisting of CO 3 , (COO) 2 and NH 2 COO, and wherein n is a numeral from 0 to 4, which comprises oxidizing a solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate to cause the plutonium to be oxidized to valence VI, admixing the oxidized solution with a salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium oxalate and ammonium carbamate, maintaining a temperature of about 45° to 60° C. and a pH of 8.1 to 8.5 to produce a precipitate having said formula, and separating said precipitate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method according to claim 13, wherein X is CO 3 , and wherein the salt is ammonium carbonate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method according to claim 13, wherein X is (COO) 2 , and wherein the salt is ammonium oxalate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method according to claim 13, wherein X is NH 2 COO, and wherein the salt is ammonium carbamate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
Method according to claim 13, wherein the precipitate is calcined and subsequently oxidized in air to form a uranium-plutonium oxide with an oxygen-to-metal ratio of 2.1 to 2.2.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-11-25 | 1984-05-26 | 1984-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-11-25 | 1988-05-26 | 1988-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-11-25 | 1992-05-26 | 1992-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |