Process and apparatus for continuous preparation of uranium tetrafluoride

A process for continuous preparation of uranium tetrafluoride hydrate crystal particles of coarse size comprising the steps of:

• continuously feeding a uranous solution selected from the group consisting of uranous chloride solution and uranous sulfate solution and hydrofluoric acid into the lower section of a reaction vessel to produce crystal particles of uranium tetrafluoride hydrate, said hydrofluoric acid concentration in the reaction vessel being maintained sufficiently low to avoid extreme supersaturation when hydrofluoric acid contacts the uranous solution;
• floating up and suspending the crystal particles thus produced into the upper section of the reaction vessel by the action of agitation and permitting the crystal particles to grow in said upper section, the temperature in the reaction vessel being maintained within a range of from about 90.degree. C to the boiling point of the solution in the vessel;
• and then
• precipitating and discharging the thus grown crystal particles from the bottom of the vessel, while causing waste solution to overflow from the top of the vessel, thereby obtaining uranium tetrafluoride 3/4 hydrate crystal particles of from about 40 to 140.mu..