Process for separating fission product molybdenum from an irradiated target material
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsHerman S. Rosenbaum, Douglas R. Packard, Harry A. Levin
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Abstract
A process for the separation and collection of molybdenum-99 from an irradiated uranium-containing target material utilizes thermal chromatographic separation. The irradiated target material containing the molybdenum-99 is heated in an oxidizing atmosphere to form an oxidized target material and gaseous molybdenum-99 trioxide. The gaseous molybdenum-99 trioxide is carried by the oxidizing atmosphere along with other vaporized materials to a cooling zone for progressive condensation and collection of the molybdenum-99 trioxide and the other materials in the form of separate deposits.
Claims12
A process for the separation and collection of molybdenum-99 from an irradiated enriched uranium-containing target material, the process comprising the steps of
- (a) establishing a thermochromatographic zone having a heating zone and a cooling zone cooled by atmospheric cooling,
- (b) passing an oxidizing atmosphere successively through said heating and cooling zones,
- (c) heating the target material in the heating zone at a temperature less than the melting point of said target material, said temperature being sufficient to drive off fission product gases, oxidize oxide-forming components of the target material and subline sublimable materials including molybdenum-99 trioxide into said oxidizing atmosphere to form a gaseous mixture to be carried into said cooling zone, and
- (d) cooling the gaseous mixture in said cooling zone so that the sublimed materials including the molybdenum-99 trioxide are progressively condensed and collected at successive locations in the cooling zone in the form of substantially separate deposits.
A process for the separation and collection of molybdenum-99 from an irradiated enriched uranium-containing target material, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) passing an oxidizing atmoshpere successively through a heating zone and a connected cooling zone cooled by atmospheric cooling,
- (b) heating the irradiated target material in the heating zone in the presence of the oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature less than the melting point of said target material, said temperature being sufficient to drive off fission product gases, oxidize oxide-forming components of the target material and sublime sublimable materials including molybdenum-99 trioxide into said oxidizing atmosphere to form a gaseous mixture to be carried to said cooling zone, and
- (c) cooling the gaseous mixture in said cooling zone so that the sublimed materials including the molybdenum-99 trioxide are progressively condensed and collected at successive locations in the cooling zone in the form of substantially separate deposits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.