Uranium extraction from sea water with composite adsorbents, (3)

Measurements were made of the extent of magnetization shown by composite hydrous titanium (IV)-iron (II) oxide adsorbents for use in uranium extraction from sea water. The possibility of removing the adsorbent by means of high-gradient magnetic separation was demonstrated by calculations based on a force balance model. Removal experiments were also carried out, which demonstrated that the composite hydrous oxide can be trapped effectively: A composite hydrous oxide with 1:1 Ti-to-Fe mole ratio, of 400 -- 625 mesh particle size, proved to be removed to 99.9% by a magnetic field of 2.5 kOe, with the slurry flowing at 20 cm/s through a filter matrix 50 cm long packed to 90% void with 100 μm diameter nickel wire stuffing. Together with the evaluations made of the electric power consumed by the high-gradient magnetic separators, the experimental results indicated the possibility of economically extracting uranium from sea water using these separators in combination with magnetic adsorbents. (author)