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Separation of a Gas Mixture Containing Uranium Hexafluoride, Hydrogen Fluoride, and Chlorine Trifluoride

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The paper describes the design and the process mode of an M-1281 sorption unit for the extraction of uranium hexafluoride and hydrogen fluoride from gases based on chlorine trifluoride or fluorine using the fluorides of lithium and sodium. The extraction of uranium hexafluoride by sodium fluoride yields over 99.8%. Hydrogen fluoride in combination with lithium and sodium fluorides is extracted at 95.6%. In this case, the content of uranium hexafluoride and hydrogen fluoride in the gas after the M-1281 unit does not exceed 0.02 and 1 vol%, respectively. According to the obtained results, about 14 tonnes [metric tons] of uranium hexafluoride, variously enriched in 235U, can be additionally directed to the main process of the plant, while more than 1 tonnes of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride can be supplied to the production of elemental fluorine.

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Correspondence to O. B. Gromov.

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Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 133, No. 5–6, pp. 283–288, November–December, 2022.

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Gromov, O.B. Separation of a Gas Mixture Containing Uranium Hexafluoride, Hydrogen Fluoride, and Chlorine Trifluoride. At Energy 133, 301–306 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-023-01012-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-023-01012-4

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