Published December 19, 1980 | Version v1
Patent

Improvement of the uranium recovery process in impure phosphoric acid

Description

Recovery of uranium (VI) from a phosphoric acid obtained by wet process by means of liquid-liquid extraction. The impure acid is first treated by an initial extractive organic phase comprising a dialkylphosphoric acid, a trialkylphosphine oxide and an inert diluter that becomes charged with uranium. It is treated with an aqueous solution of phosphoric acid containing iron ions (II) which extract the uranium (IV). The phases are then separated and the organic phase exhausted when the impure acid is extracted is recycled. In the second cycle, the previous aqueous phase is treated, after oxidation, by a second extractive phase comprising an inert diluter and a dialkylphosphoric acid. After the phases have been separated, an uranium exhausted aqueous phase and an uranium charged organic phase are obtained. The characteristic of this improvement is that this second uranium charged extractive organic phase is washed in a phosphoric acid aqueous solution free of iron issuing from an aqueous wash of the extractive organic phase of the first cycle, between the extraction stage of the impure acid and the uranium re-extraction stage and after it has been concentrated

Availability note (English)

Available from Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle, Paris (France).

Abstract (French)

Recuperation de l'uranium (VI) d'un acide phosphorique obtenu par le procede de voie humide au moyen d'extractions liquide-liquide. Dans un premier cycle on traite l'acide impur au moyen d'une premiere phase organique extractive comprenant un acide dialkylphosphorique, un oxyde de trialkylphosphine et un diluant inerte, qui se charge en uranium, on la traite par une solution aqueuse d'acide phosphorique contenant des ions fer (II) qui extrait l'uranium (IV), puis on separe les phases et on recycle la phase organique epuisee a l'extraction de l'acide impur. Dans un deuxieme cycle, on traite la phase aqueuse precedente, apres oxydation, au moyen d'une deuxieme phase extractive comprenant un diluant inerte et un acide dialkylphosphorique; on obtient, apres separation des phases, une phase aqueuse epuisee en uranium et une phase organique chargee en uranium. Le perfectionnement est caracterise en ce que cette deuxieme phase organique extractive chargee en uranium est lavee au moyen d'une solution aqueuse d'acide phosphorique exempt de fer, provenant d'un lavage aqueux de la phase organique extractive du premier cycle entre l'etape d'extraction de l'acide impur et l'etape de reextraction de l'uranium et apres l'avoir concentre

Additional details

Additional titles

Original title (French)
Perfectionnement au procede de recuperation de l'uranium d'un acide phosphorique impur

Publishing Information

Imprint Pagination
12 p.
IPC:
Int. Cl. C01g43/01; C01b25/46; C22b60/02; G21c3/42.
IPC
Int. Cl. C01g43/01; C01b25/46; C22b60/02; G21c3/42.
Patent number
FR patent document 2457258/A/

INIS

Country of Publication
France
Country of Input or Organization
France
INIS RN
13650011
Subject category
S11: NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS;
Resource subtype / Literary indicator
Non-conventional Literature
Descriptors DEI
PHOSPHORIC ACID; PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS; SOLVENT EXTRACTION; URANIUM
Descriptors DEC
ACTINIDES; ELEMENTS; ESTERS; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; INORGANIC ACIDS; METALS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS; SEPARATION PROCESSES