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Uranium Recovery from Sludge of Evaporation Lagoons of Isfahan’s UCF Plant

Hanif Pour, Fateme | 2011

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 42527 (46)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Energy Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Samadfam, Mohammad; Ghaemi, Ahad; Ghasemi, Mohammad Reza
  7. Abstract:
  8. Nuclear energy is one of the most important sources of energy from the economical point of view and also in terms of cleanliness and safety. Hence, strategically, uranium is one of the most basic elements of the earth and nowadays, the importance of this element is more marked due to the nuclear industry developement. Therefore, uranium recovery from the wastes generated during nuclear fuel production in Isfahan’s uranium conversion plant- in which yellow cake is converted to uranium hexafluoride- is quite pivotal. In this experimental research, uranium is extracted from the sludge of evaporation lagoons of Isfahan’s UCF plant via solvent extraction method. Execution of this project in an industrial scale, not only prevents the loss of this valuable element, but also prevents environmental pollution. In this research after precise characterization and dissolution of the solid waste at optimum conditions, uranium solvent extraction by means of TBP and D2EHPA was done and parameters affecting extraction such as acid and solvent concentration, type of diluents, phase ratio, temperature, mixing conditions and successive extraction were optimized. After selection of the best extractant, uranium stripping from the reach organic phase was done by means of sodium and ammonium carbonate solutions, di-ionized water and nitric, sulfuric and phosphoric acid. Stripping parameters were also optimized. Although uranium is extracted more selectively by TBP, D2EHPA is our choice because of its great power for uranium extraction even at low concentrations of solvent and less acid consumption which is more economical and prevents corrosion in industrial facilities. Among solvents used for uranium stripping from organic phase (5% D2EHPA in kerosene), phosphoric acid was the most efficient and basic solutions produced third phase during the process
  9. Keywords:
  10. Oranium ; Waste Management ; Solvent Extraction

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