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Detailed Kinetic Study of Acid Leaching of Uranium ore and Derivation of a Scalable Mathematical Model for it

Rahimi, Morteza | 2019

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 52192 (46)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Energy Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Otukesh, Mohammad; Karimi Sabet, Jadad; Ghodsinejad, Davood
  7. Abstract:
  8. The leaching process is the first stage in the process of extracting uranium out of the ore. The leaching, based on the used material is divided into two main methods of acidic and alkali leaching. Each of these two techniques have their own pros and cones. It is notable that due to lower costs, and faster kinetics, the acid leaching is the first option of the mines unless the percentage of carbonates (and the other acid-soluble materials) in the ore are too high that makes this process uneconomical because of higher acid consumption. The kinetics of the acid leaching of the uranium depends on various parameters such as acid concentration, the particle size, exposure time and the temperature of the leaching solution which are widely investigated in the other researches and the effect of those is predictable in this process. In the present study, we tried to propose a proper model for the leaching process with a changeable scale performance through a deep investigation in references, doing experimental works and by applying mathematical methods. This work was performed in three 3, 30 and 300 L reactors which had the dynamic and geometry analogy; the results revealed that if the ratio of the mixer power (per volume of the reacting fluid in the reactor) is similar for the three reactors, the leaching process will be the same and by obtaining a model for the smallest reactor, the kinetics of the largest reactor is easily predicted. Finally, with considering the chemical reaction and mass transfer, simultaneously, a unique model was proposed for the solubility kinetics of magnesium (which is one the main components of the uranium ore composition) and the obtained hypothesis and results were in consistence with the literature
  9. Keywords:
  10. Uranium Leaching ; Stirred Tank Reactor ; Scalability ; Dissolution Kinetics ; Mass Transfer ; Mathematical Modeling

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