Chlorine Containing Patents (Class 423/257)
  • Patent number: 8475756
    Abstract: A method for the production of UCl3 salt without the use of hazardous chemicals or multiple apparatuses for synthesis and purification is provided. Uranium metal is combined in a reaction vessel with a metal chloride and a eutectic salt- and heated to a first temperature under vacuum conditions to promote reaction of the uranium metal with the metal chloride for the production of a UCl3 salt. After the reaction has run substantially to completion, the furnace is heated to a second temperature under vacuum conditions. The second temperature is sufficiently high to selectively vaporize the chloride salts and distill them into a condenser region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Brian R. Westphal, Robert D. Mariani
  • Patent number: 8337793
    Abstract: A method and equipment for removing ammonia from effluent, flue or waste fluids that include oxygen. The method includes at least the following stages: Part of the fluid (1) is conveyed to a decomposition/oxidation unit (2) and part of the fluid (1) is conveyed to a by-pass unit (3); part of the fluid (1) including ammonia is oxidized in the decomposition/oxidation unit (2) of ammonia; the fluid (1H) that was oxidized in the decomposition/oxidation unit (2) and the fluid (1) that was conveyed to the by-pass unit are mixed in a mixing unit (4) to form a fluid mixture (1S), and the fluid mixture (1S) is conveyed to a selective reduction unit (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ecocat Oy
    Inventors: Teuvo Maunula, Matti Härkönen
  • Patent number: 7217402
    Abstract: A method of producing metal chlorides is disclosed in which chlorine gas is introduced into liquid Cd. CdCl2 salt is floating on the liquid Cd and as more liquid CdCl2 is formed it separates from the liquid Cd metal and dissolves in the salt. The salt with the CdCl2 dissolved therein contacts a metal which reacts with CdCl2 to form a metal chloride, forming a mixture of metal chloride and CdCl2. After separation of bulk Cd from the salt, by gravitational means, the metal chloride is obtained by distillation which removes CdCl2 and any Cd dissolved in the metal chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America Department of Energy
    Inventors: William E. Miller, Zygmunt Tomczuk, Michael K. Richmann
  • Patent number: 6800262
    Abstract: The subject apparatus provides a means to produce UCl3 in large quantities without incurring corrosion of the containment vessel or associated apparatus. Gaseous Cl is injected into a lower layer of Cd where CdCl2 is formed. Due to is lower density, the CdCl2 rises through the Cd layer into a layer of molten LiCl—KCL salt where a rotatable basket containing uranium ingots is suspended. The CdCl2 reacts with the uranium to form UCl3 and Cd. Due to density differences, the Cd sinks down to the liquid Cd layer and is reused. The UCl3 combines with the molten salt. During production the temperature is maintained at about 600° C. while after the uranium has been depleted the salt temperature is lowered, the molten salt is pressure siphoned from the vessel, and the salt product LiCl—KCl-30 mol % UCl3 is solidified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: William E. Miller, Zygmunt Tomczuk
  • Patent number: 6641626
    Abstract: The invention relates to mixed phase materials for the preparation of catalytic membranes which exhibit ionic and electronic conduction and which exhibit improved mechanical strength compared to single phase ionic and electronic conducting materials. The mixed phase materials are useful for forming gas impermeable membranes either as dense ceramic membranes or as dense thin films coated onto porous substrates. The membranes and materials of this invention are useful in catalytic membrane reactors in a variety of applications including synthesis gas production. One or more crystalline second phases are present in the mixed phase material at a level sufficient to enhance the mechanical strength of the mixture to provide membranes for practical application in CMRs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Eltron Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Pamela Van Calcar, Richard Mackay, Anthony F. Sammells
  • Patent number: 5356605
    Abstract: A process for converting PuO.sub.2 and UO.sub.2 present in an electrorefiner to the chlorides, by contacting the PuO.sub.2 and UO.sub.2 with Li metal in the presence of an alkali metal chloride salt substantially free of rare earth and actinide chlorides for a time and at a temperature sufficient to convert the UO.sub.2 and PuO.sub.2 to metals while converting Li metal to Li.sub.2 O. Li.sub.2 O is removed either by reducing with rare earth metals or by providing an oxygen electrode for transporting O.sub.2 out of the electrorefiner and a cathode, and thereafter applying an emf to the electrorefiner electrodes sufficient to cause the Li.sub.2 O to disassociate to O.sub.2 and Li metal but insufficient to decompose the alkali metal chloride salt. The U and Pu and excess lithium are then converted to chlorides by reaction with CdCl.sub.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Zygmunt Tomczuk, William E. Miller
  • Patent number: 5322545
    Abstract: Uranium chloride is reacted with either magnesium, sodium or calcium in the presence of a molten salt comprising light metal chlorides including lithium chloride. The temperature is maintained below the melting point of uranium. The magnesium may be in the form of magnesium-cadmium alloy, the temperature being maintained below the temperature at which magnesium and cadmium vaporize. The components of the molten salt may be first fused together so as to form the molten salt eutectic. Subsequently after separation of the uranium, products of the reaction may be recovered and recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: British Nuclear Fuels, plc
    Inventor: Paul Gilchrist
  • Patent number: 5164050
    Abstract: A method of obtaining uranium metal from an oxidized uranium compound, characterized in that the oxidized compound is treated with chlorine and carbon at a first stage, to obtain a chloride which is reduced by electrolysis or metallothermy using a reducing metal at a second stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Compagnie Europeenne du Zirconium Cezus
    Inventors: Yves Bertaud, Jean Boutin, Pierre Brun, Roger Durand, Antoine Floreancig, Airy-Pierre Lamaze, Roland Tricot
  • Patent number: 5096545
    Abstract: A process for separating uranium values and transuranic values from fission products containing rare earth values when the values are contained together in a molten chloride salt electrolyte. A molten chloride salt electrolyte with a first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is contacted with both a solid cathode and an anode having values of uranium and fission products including plutonium. A voltage is applied across the anode and cathode electrolytically to transfer uranium and plutonium from the anode to the electrolyte while uranium values in the electrolyte electrolytically deposit as uranium metal on the solid cathode in an amount equal to the uranium and plutonium transferred from the anode causing the electrolyte to have a second ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: John P. Ackerman