Nitric Acid → Uranyl Nitrate

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Reaction Steps

The fuels for the high-temperature gas reactor may be produced in the following way with an apparatus for producing ammonium diuranate particles. Firstly, uranium oxide in the form of powder is dissolved in nitric acid, which produces a uranyl nitrate solution. Then, the uranyl nitrate solution is mixed with pure water, a thickening agent, and other chemicals, if necessary, and the mixture is stirred. A feedstock liquid to be dripped is obtained by this process. The feedstock liquid is stored in a feedstock liquid reservoir. The feedstock liquid thus prepared is cooled to a predetermined temperature, the viscosity thereof is adjusted, and then it is transferred to a dripping nozzle device. The dripping nozzle device has one nozzle with a small diameter. The transferred feedstock liquid falls in drops from the end of the nozzle into an aqueous solution of ammonia. The uranyl nitrate included in the drops, which have fallen into the aqueous solution of ammonia, changes into ammonium diuranate from the surfaces of the drops through the reaction. If the drops including uranyl nitrate reside in the solution for a time period enough to complete the reaction, uranyl nitrate in the central part of each drop is changed to ammonium diuranate.

Provenance & Evidence