Process for the separation of large amounts of uranium from small amounts of radioactive fission products, which are present in basic, aqueous carbonate containing solutions

US4696768A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Sameh A. Ali · Ettlingen, DE
• Juergen Haag · Worms, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 5, 1985
• Grant date: Sep 29, 1987
• Expiry date: Aug 5, 2005

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G21F9/12
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A process for separating large amounts of uranium from small amounts of radioactive fission products, which are present in basic, aqueous carbonate containing solutions, by means of a basic, organic anion exchanger. Uranium values present as uranykl-carbonato complex in a basic, aqueous, carbonate containing solution can be separated from fission products of the group ruthenium, zirconium, niobium and lanthanide, and with a relatively high degree of decontamination as well. The aqueous solution is adjusted to a ratio of uranyl ion concentration to carbonate ion- or CO.sub.3.sup.-- /HCO.sub.3.sup.- concentration of 1(UO.sub.2.sup.++) to 4.5(CO.sub.3.sup.--, or CO.sub.3.sup.-- /HCO.sub.3.sup.-), or more, at a maximum U concentration of not more than 60 g/l. The adjusted solution is led over a basic anion exchanger made from a polyalkene matrix provided with a preponderant part tertiary and a minor part quaternary amino groups to adsorb fission products ions or fission products containing ions. The unadsorbed uranyl-carbonato complex is recovered in a decontaminated, preponderantly fission product free form by separating the uranium containing, remaining aqueous solution from the ion …