ORNL-1771 - Oak Ridge National Laboratory

2.5 kg can be prepared in this equipment. During
the quarter, 27 preparations that yielded about 70 kg
of material were made.
Repeated attempts to prepare NaF-KF-Li F mix-
tures containing 14 wt % UF, and 1 wt % UF, by
reduction of UF, with uranium metal yielded mix-
tures containing 5 to 7 wt % UF, by chemical
analysis. These results, along with those reported
elsewhere in this document, seem to show that in
systems containing KF, reduction of UF, by ura-
nium metal is markedly incomplete. Pending clari-
fication of this point, production of material con-
taining 5 wt % UF, and 10 wt % UF, is under way,
Production Facility
J. P. Blakely F. L. Daley
Materials Chemistry Division
During the past quarter, 1760 kg of processed
fluorides was produced in the 250.lb facility for
external and internal distribution. A breakdown of
the production according to composition is given
below:
Amount
Processed
(ks)
NoF-ZrF4-UF4 (50-46-4 mole %) 79 1
NaF-ZrF, (50-50 mole 76) 565
NoF-ZrF4-UF4 (50-43.56.5 mole %) 404
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division received 27 kg
of NaF-ZrF, (50-50 mole %) and 113 kg of NaF-
ZrF,-UF, (50-46-4 mole 96). Battelle Memorial
Institute received 46 kg of NaF-ZrF,-UF, (50-46-4
mole %) and 68 kg of NaF-ZrF, (50-50 mole %)-
The remaining processed material was distributed
to various requesters in the ANP Program.
The difficulties associated with the long stripping
times and large hydrogen volumes required for pra-
duction of rigorously pure fluoride melts from the
raw materials available have not yet been over-
come.32 Attempts to shorten the time required by
increasing the hydrogen flow rate from 4 to 15
liters/min and thus decrease labor und maintenance
costs were not successful. Under these conditions
._.__i_______.l-
32F, F. Blankenship and G. J. Nessle, ANP Qum.
Prr,g. Rep. June IO, 1954, ORNL-1729, p 61.
PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 70, 1954
the gas inlet tubes plugged quite frequently and
the HF concentration in the exit hydrogen fell
much below the value obtained at lower flow rates.
The over-all purification time was not appreciably
shortened by the fourfold increase in hydrogen
passed.
Sublimation of crude ZrF, at a temperature lower
than that previously used by Y-12 personnel did
not appreciably improve the purity of the ZrF,
product. Accordingly, the NaF-ZrF, melts produced
iri the near future will be prepared from the
(NaF)x*ZrF, that is available in moderately pure
form from a commercial source; hafnium-free ZrF4
will be used to adjust the composition as required,
since this material is available in a high state of
purity,
Electrolytic purification of NaF-ZrF4 mixtures
has been shown to be complete, and the process
requires much less time than does the hydrogen
stripping process. Accordingly, one of the units
in the production facility is being modified slightly
to test this method on Q large scale. It is antici-
pated that the use of the purer taw materials and
the electrolytic purification process will consider-
ably decrease the cost of fuel preparation.
In-Pile Loop Loading
J. E. Eorgan
Materials Chemistry Division
The first in-pile loop was loaded on June 11 with
a fuel concentrate, NaF-ZrF,-UF, (62.5- 12.5-25.0
mole %), prepared from enriched uranium by Y-12
personnel. The loading apparatus and confrols
performed satisfactorily, and the transfer of ma-
terial to the loop went smoothly. However, the
electrical contact which should have indicated
when the loop was filled to operating level was
not activated even after 120% of the calculated
charge had been added.
Subsequent examination of the loop showed that
a weld had given way where the loop was connected
to the pump bowl, and it seems certain that this
leak was present during the filling operation. The
U235 is being salvaged from the loop. Examination
of the filling apparatus revealed that all but 68 g
of a total of 5837 g of the material was transferred
to the loop.
79