Skip to main content
Log in

Study of sodium diuranate concentrate refining using H2O2

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An alternate route for refining Sodium diuranate concentrate to nuclear grade product following uranium peroxide precipitation using Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which eliminates several cumbersome unit operations, hazardous chemicals and multiple waste streams in conventional refining process, is proposed in the reported work. Feasibility of the proposed route has been studied by conducting several experimental trials. The product obtained satisfies all impurity restrictions set by ASTM C788 for uranium nitratel pure solution intended for conversion to UO2 (uranium dioxide) fuel and provides high U recovery (> 99%). A few parametric investigations for the proposed process have also been carried out for process optimization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wilson PD (1996) The nuclear fuel cycle: from ores to wastes. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  2. Edward C, Oliver A (2000) Uranium processing: a review of current methods and technology. JOM 52(9):12–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Sen S, Murthy TKS (1979) Ore processing and uranium refining in India. In: Proceedings of an advisory committee meeting (IAEA)—production of yellow cake and uranium fluorides

  4. Sugai H, Munakata K, Miyachi S, Yasu S (2017) Emulsions stabilized by precipitates of zirconium and tributyl phosphate degradation products. Nucl Technol 98(2):188–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Shabbir M, Tame KE (1974) Hydrogen peroxide precipitation of uranium. U S Bureau of mines, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  6. Gupta R, Pande VM, Pranesh SR, Chakravarty AB (2004) Study of an improved technique for precipitation of uranium from eluted solutions. Hydrometallurgy 71(3–4):429–434

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sato T (1963) Preperation of uranium peroxide hydrates. J Appl Chem 13(8):361–365

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Merritt RC (1971) Extractive metallurgy of uranium. Colorado School of Mines Research Foundation, Colorado

  9. Cotton FA, Wilkinson G (1962) Advanced inorganic chemistry—a comprehensive text. Wiley Interscience Publications, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  10. Smirnov AL, Skripchenko SY, Rychkov VN, Pastukhov AM, Shtutsa MG (2013) Uranium stripping from Tri-n-butyl phosphate by hydrogen peroxide. Hydrometallurgy 137:18–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bhowmik A, Shanmughavelu P, Dhavmani D, Agarwal A (2009) Single stage purification for uranium refining, patent corporation treaty patent PCT/IN2007/000305

  12. Schwerdt J, Olsen A, Lusk R, Heffernan S, Klosterman M, Collins B, Martinson S, Kirkham T, Mcdonald LW (2017) Nuclear Forensics Investigation of morphological signatures in the thermal decomposition of uranyl peroxide. Talanta 176:284–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Grenthe I, Fuger J, Konings R, Lemire R, Muller A, Wanner H (1992) Chemical thermodynamics of uranium. Elsevier North Holland imprint, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  14. Yamine M, Waters D J (1980) An improved precipitation technique for recovery of uranium from its liquors. In: 8th Australian chemical engineering conference, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 129–133

  15. ASTM standard C788–03, 2003, Standard specification for nuclear grade uranyl nitrate solution or crystals, ASTM international, Pennsylvania, USA

  16. ASTM C1233–98, 1998. Standard practice for determining equivalent boron contents of nuclear materials, ASTM international, Pennsylvania, USA

  17. Cahill AE, Burkhart LE (1990) Continuous precipitation of uranium with hydrogen peroxide. Metall Trans B 21(5):819–826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. De Laat J, Gallard H (1999) Catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by Fe in homogeneous aqueous solution. Environ Sci Technol 33(16):2726–2732. 

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kim KW, Lee KY, Baek JY, Chung YD (2015) Evaluation of the stability of precipitated uranium peroxide and its storage characteristics in solution. J Nucl Sci Technol 53:263–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Hatcher WH, Maclauchlan DW (1938) Conductivity data of aqueous mixtures of hydrogen peroxide and nitric acid. Can J Res Section B 16(8):253–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for providing financial and support for undertaking this work.

Funding

The funding was provided by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. S. Amalraj.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Amalraj, V.S., Tiwari, A.K., Agrawal, A. et al. Study of sodium diuranate concentrate refining using H2O2. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 867–876 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08158-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08158-0

Keywords

Navigation