Device for preparing tetravalent uranium through electrolysis

Abstract

A device for preparing tetravalent uranium through electrolysis comprises an electrolytic bath, the electrolytic bath comprises a small electrolysis chamber and a platinum-plated titanium mesh, the small electrolysis chamber is made of a titanium plate and serves as a cathode, and the platinum-plated titanium mesh serves as an anode; a feed liquid inlet and a feed liquid outlet are formed in the small electrolysis chamber. A plurality of small electrolysis chambers are connected in series in the electrolytic bath, and a platinum-plated titanium mesh is mounted in each small electrolysis chamber. According to the invention, the electron generation rate is increased by increasing the reaction area of the cathode on the premise that the current density is not changed, so that the preparation amount of each electrolytic cell is increased, the rear-end requirement can be met by only adopting one electrolytic cell, and the cost of preparing a tetravalent uranium product by the electrolytic cell is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This patent relates to the field of spent fuel reprocessing technology, specifically to an apparatus for the electrolytic preparation of tetravalent uranium. Background Technology

[0002] There are many methods for preparing tetravalent uranium, including direct electrolysis, chemical reduction, metal reduction, and photochemical reduction. Electrolytic reduction of tetravalent uranium not only avoids introducing chemical impurities but also allows some low-reduction-potential metallic impurities to deposit on the cathode, thus increasing the uranium's reduction potential. 4+ The role of purity.

[0003] However, in traditional cell electrolysis devices, the electrolysis chambers are connected in series. Each stage consists of an anode with a platinum-plated titanium mesh and two titanium metal plate cathodes. To prevent the production of hydrogen as a side reaction at the cathode, the current density cannot be too high. When the current density remains constant, the current intensity is affected by the size of the electrode area, resulting in only 60% to 70% of uranyl nitrate being converted into tetravalent uranium. If this tetravalent uranium product is used as a reducing agent, it will dilute the plutonium product and increase the burden on the uranium wire.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a new device for the electrolytic preparation of tetravalent uranium, which can increase the current intensity while keeping the volume of the electrolytic cell constant, thereby increasing the yield of tetravalent uranium electrolytic reduction. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus for the electrolytic preparation of tetravalent uranium, thereby improving the yield of tetravalent uranium reduced by electrolysis in an electrolytic cell.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: an apparatus for electrolytic preparation of tetravalent uranium, comprising an electrolytic cell, the electrolytic cell comprising an electrolytic chamber and a platinum-plated titanium mesh, the electrolytic chamber being made of titanium plate and serving as the cathode, while the platinum-plated titanium mesh serving as the anode; the electrolytic chamber has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet.

[0007] The electrolytic cell contains multiple electrolytic chambers connected in series, and each electrolytic chamber is equipped with a platinum-plated titanium mesh.

[0008] There are a total of 6 electrolysis chambers connected in series in the electrolytic cell.

[0009] The electrolytic cell is also equipped with a handle.

[0010] The electrolysis chamber measures 623mm × 370mm.

[0011] The feed liquid inlet and feed liquid outlet are set opposite each other on the electrolysis chamber, located at the front and rear ends of the electrolysis chamber respectively.

[0012] The significant advantages of this invention are:

[0013] This invention provides a novel apparatus for the electrolytic preparation of tetravalent uranium. By increasing the cathode reaction area, the electron generation rate is increased while the current density remains constant, thereby increasing the production capacity of each electrolytic cell. This allows the downstream demand to be met with just one electrolytic cell, reducing the cost of preparing tetravalent uranium products.

[0014] If the electrolysis efficiency remains unchanged, the volume of the electrolytic cell can be optimized, which can reduce material costs and allow for installation and use in a small space. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the electrolysis chamber in a tetravalent uranium electrolyzer.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a tetravalent uranium electrolyzer.

[0017] In the diagram: 1. Liquid inlet; 2. Liquid outlet; 3. Platinum-plated titanium mesh; 4. Electrolysis chamber; 5. Electrolytic cell; 6. Handle. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of this application; therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0019] The terminology used in one or more embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of one or more embodiments of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in one or more embodiments of this application and in the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” used in one or more embodiments of this application refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0020] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., may be used to describe various information in one or more embodiments of this application, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, first may also be referred to as second without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of this application, and similarly, second may also be referred to as first.

[0021] The present patent will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings;

[0022] like Figure 2As shown, an apparatus for electrolytically preparing tetravalent uranium includes an electrolytic cell 5, which includes an electrolytic chamber 4 and a platinum-plated titanium mesh 3. The electrolytic chamber 4 is made of titanium plate and acts as the cathode, while the platinum-plated titanium mesh 3 acts as the anode. There are multiple electrolytic chambers 4 connected in series in the electrolytic cell 5, and each electrolytic chamber 4 is equipped with a platinum-plated titanium mesh 3.

[0023] The electrolysis chamber 4 has a liquid inlet 1 and a liquid outlet 2, which are arranged opposite to each other on the electrolysis chamber 4.

[0024] A handle 6 is also installed on the electrolytic cell 5;

[0025] While keeping the area of ​​each electrolysis chamber in electrolytic cell 5 unchanged, the wall of electrolysis chamber 4 is designed as a titanium plate to serve as the cathode of electrolytic cell 5, thereby increasing the electrolysis area and improving the yield of tetravalent uranium reduction in electrolytic cell 5.

[0026] The walls of the electrolysis chamber 4 are designed as titanium plates to serve as the cathode of the electrolysis cell 5. The area of ​​each chamber of the electrolysis cell 5 can be calculated and adjusted according to the amount of tetravalent uranium produced, so that a single electrolysis cell 5 can meet the production requirements.

[0027] In situations with limited installation space, the walls of electrolysis chamber 4 can be designed as titanium plates to serve as the cathode of electrolysis cell 5. Without altering the yield of tetravalent uranium reduction in electrolysis cell 5, theoretical calculations show a reduction in the volume of each stage of electrolysis chamber 4 within electrolysis cell 5, improving current utilization. This approach also reduces material costs while still allowing for installation and use within a small space.

[0028] When the dimensions of the cathode plate in a traditional electrolytic cell are (H×B: 842mm×370mm) and the current density is 180A / m 2 When the electrolysis efficiency is 75% and the concentration of tetravalent uranium after electrolysis is at least 150 g / L, the total feed flow rate of tetravalent uranium for electrolysis can be theoretically calculated as v1.

[0029]

[0030] J—Current density inside the electrolytic cell, 180 A / m 2 ;

[0031] v1 — the amount of tetravalent uranium produced per hour per unit;

[0032] S—Cross-sectional area, i.e., the area of ​​each electrode plate (0.62308m²) 2 Total: 3.73848m 2 ;

[0033] t—Electrolysis time in the electrolytic cell, which is 3600s;

[0034] η—Current efficiency in the electrolytic cell, which is 75%;

[0035] M – the molar mass of hexavalent uranium, which is 238 g / mol;

[0036] N A —Avogadro's constant is 6.02 × 10⁻⁶. 23 ;

[0037] K – Coulomb constant, 1.6 × 10⁻⁶ -19 ;

[0038] ξ—a coefficient representing the percentage of side reactions that occur alongside the main reaction, which is 49.8%.

[0039] c1 — Concentration of tetravalent uranium in the solution after electrolysis.

[0040] When using a novel electrolytic method to prepare tetravalent uranium, the actual reaction area of ​​the cathode is shown in the attached figure. Figure 2 The height of each stage increases to 0.82848m. 2 The total increased to 4.97088m 2 At this time, with other electrolysis conditions remaining unchanged, the production capacity of each electrolyzer per hour can be increased to 10L, which greatly increases the production capacity of each electrolyzer. In this way, the electrolyzer can be optimized from "two in use and one in standby" to "one in use and one in standby" while meeting the needs of the downstream process system, thereby reducing the cost of producing tetravalent uranium products from the electrolyzer.

[0041] Without changing the yield of tetravalent uranium reduction in the electrolytic cell, the dimensions of each chamber in the new electrolytic cell can be optimized from (H×B: 842mm×370mm) to (H×B: 623mm×370mm), thereby optimizing the overall volume of the electrolytic cell and improving the utilization rate of current. This electrolytic cell can meet the requirements for installation and operation in small spaces.

[0042] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this patent and is not intended to limit this patent. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this patent shall be included within the scope of protection of this patent.

[0043] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0044] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0045] The preferred embodiments disclosed above are merely illustrative of this application. The optional embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this application. These embodiments are selected and specifically described in this application to better explain the principles and practical applications of this application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize this application.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the electrolytic production of uranium tetravalent, characterized in that: It comprises an electrolytic cell (5), which comprises an electrolytic chamber (4) and a platinized titanium mesh (3), the electrolytic chamber (4) is made of titanium plate and serves as a cathode, and the platinized titanium mesh (3) serves as an anode; the electrolytic chamber (4) is provided with a feed liquid inlet (1) and a feed liquid outlet (2).

2. An apparatus for the electrolytic production of uranium tetravalent according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrolytic cell (5) is provided with a plurality of electrolytic chambers (4) connected in series, and each electrolytic chamber (4) is provided with a platinized titanium mesh (3).

3. An apparatus for the electrolytic production of uranium tetravalent according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electrolytic cell (5) is provided with six electrolytic chambers (4) connected in series.

4. An apparatus for the electrolytic production of uranium tetravalent as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The electrolytic cell (5) is further provided with a handle (6).

5. An apparatus for the electrolytic production of uranium tetravalent as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The electrolytic chamber (4) has a size of 623 mm x 370 mm.

6. An apparatus for the electrolytic preparation of uranium tetravalent as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The feed liquid inlet (1) and the feed liquid outlet (2) are oppositely arranged on the electrolytic chamber (4) and respectively located at the front and rear ends of the electrolytic chamber (4).

Images