Comparison of phosgene, chlorine, and hydrogen chloride as reagents for converting molten CaO. CaCl/sub 2/ to CaCl/sub 2/

• Main Author: Fife, K. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Los Alamos National Laboratory 1985
• Subjects: Actinide Compounds; Chemical Reactions; Organic Compounds; Phosgene; Elements; Calcium Halides; Oxides; Calcium Chlorides; Comparative Evaluations; Wastes 360101* > Metals & Alloys > Preparation & Fabrication; Organic Chlorine Compounds; Chlorine; Radioactive Wastes; Chalcogenides; Chlorides; Halogens; Hydrogen Compounds; Transuranium Compounds; Plutonium Dioxide; Materials; Recycling; 052001 > Nuclear Fuels > Waste Processing; Plutonium Compounds; Reagents; Radioactive Materials; Calcium Compounds; Plutonium; Transuranium Elements; Organic Halogen Compounds; 12 Management Of Radioactive And Non-Radioactive Wastes From Nuclear Facilities; Alkaline Earth Metal Compounds; Regeneration; Inorganic Acids; Metals; Halogen Compounds; Plutonium Oxides; Molten Salts; Chlorine Compounds; Actinides; Salts; Oxygen Compounds; Low-Level Radioactive Wastes; Hydrochloric Acid; Halides; Carbonic Acid Derivatives; Calcium Oxides; 36 Materials Science; Nonmetals; Reduction; Production; Carbonic acid
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1066910/

One method at Los Alamos for preparing impure plutonium metal from the impure oxide is by batch reduction with calcium metal at 850/sup 0/C in a CaCl/sub 2/ solvent. The solvent salt from this reduction is currently discarded as low-level radioactivity waste only because it is saturated with the CaO byproduct. We have demonstrated a pyrochemical technique for converting the CaO to CaCl/sub 2/ thereby incorporating solvent recycling into the batch reduction process. We will discuss the effectiveness of HCl, Cl/sub 2/, and COCl/sub 2/ as chlorinating agents and recycling actual spent process solvent salts. 6 refs., 8 figs.