ORNL-2106 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

half of fiscal year 1957. This estimate includes
Pratt & Whitney requirements. At this rate, full
production should still be able to maintain a high
stock inventory and to allow for any necessary
shutdown of the production-scale facility. The ef-
ficienf hand1 ing, maintenance, and dispensing of
some 200 storage cans has made it possible to fill
all sizes of orders with a minimum of delay to
operating sections'of the ANP program.
PREPARATION OF ZrF, FROM ZrCI4
J. E. Eorgan J. P. Blakely
The facility for the conversion of hafnium-free
ZrCI, to ZrF, was operated three times during this
quarter. The mechanical operation of the unit is
now satisfactory. Handling techniques need to be
improved to cut down on raw-material and finishedproduct
losses. Also, the finely divided nature of
the product ZrF, has presented a dust-loss problem
of considerable magnitude. Steps are being taken
to eliminate or greatly improve this situation. Large
quantities of ZrF, dust were carried into the proc-
..
ess gas exit lines and caused major line-plugging
difficulties. A change in piping arrangement im-
proved this situation somewhat in the last run.
Rough material balances of the three operations
indicated a total loss of about 22% of product in
the first two runs and 11% in the last run. Approx-
imately 75% of this loss was accounted for in ma-
terial removed from the exit gas lines. A new dust
filter has been ordered for installation on the unit
which should cut down the dust loss considerably.
Operation of this facility will be postponed until
this new filter arrives or there is an urgent need
for more hafnium-free ZrF,.
Analytically, the product material was as good or
better than material previously or presently being
used. Four samples were taken from each batch as
it was being discharged from the unit, each sample
representing roughly one-fourth of each batch so
uld be tested. The analytical
esults are given in Table 2.4.2. Although the first
batch was not SO good as the last two, either in
uniformhy or quality, it was considered to be us-
able.
ClAL SERVIC
F. S
Requests for service in filling, draining, and
sampling operations were at a normal and steady
level. The greatly accelerated pace set in the
Run Sample
No. No.
PERIOD ENDJNG JUNE 10, 1956
TABLE 2.4.2. PURITY OF ZrF,
PRODUCED FROM ZrC14
Maior
Constituents lmpur i ti et*
(wt so)
(PPd
Zr F CI Ni Cr Fa
1 1 53.6 45.0 0.29 90 55 715
2 53.7 44.2 0.40 80 55 595
3 54.3 44.3 0.50 55 45 595
4 54.2 44.6 0.63 55 45 620
2 1 54.5 45.2 0.29 65 40 375
2 55.1 44.8 0.33 50 40 400
3 54.6 44.2 0.34 65 35 375
4 54.6 45.2 0.36 50 35 375
3 1 54.4 45.4 0.39 a5 50 420
2 54.3 44.3 0.45 70 25 420
3 54.5 44.9 0.43 75 30 410
4 54.8 44.6 0.39 60 30 400
Theoretical 54.5 45.5
'The hafnium content of the material was less than 100
ppm, the boron content was lest than 1 ppm, the sulfur
content was about 30 ppm, and the carbon content was
300 ppm.
previous quarter was not maintained. Past expe-
rience indicates that filling and draining opera-
tions will be requested in cycles, depending upon
the rate at which tests are started or terminated.
Present indications are that another accelerating
cycle will occur in the next quarter.
Approximately 3000 Ib of processed fluorides and
1500 Ib of liquid metals were used to charge test
equipment during the quarter in charge sizes rang-
ing from 5 to 500 Ib. Since the liquid metal (NaK)
inventory had run below 1500 Ib, another 5000 Ib
of noneutectic NaK (56% Na-44% K) was ordered
and received. It is estimated that this supply
should last six to eight months unless consumption
is sharply increased.
A serious complication arose in the disposal of
NaK during the cold months of this winter. This
material, which is normally molten at room temper-
atures, could not be disposed of by underwater
injection because it froze in the transfer lines. It
was fortunate that sufficient storage cans were
available to contain the NaK drained from equip-
ment until warmer weather arrived and that a com-
paratively small amount of NaK was drained from
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