Back to results
US 4,362,660 AGranted
Mercuric iodate precipitation from radioiodine-containing off-gas scrubber solution
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsJerry A. Partridge, Gail P. Bosuego
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mercuric nitrate-nitric acid scrub solutions containing radioiodine may be reduced in volume without excessive loss of volatile iodine. The use of concentrated nitric acid during an evaporation process oxidizes the mercury-iodide complex to a less volatile mercuric iodate precipitate.
Claims4
A process for reducing the volume of a radioiodine containing mercuric nitrate-nitric acid off-gas scrubber solution comprising:
- (a) first placing 15 to 16 molar nitric acid in a vessel;
- (b) heating said nitric acid to boiling temperature;
- and then continuously and simultaneously
- (c) introducing said scrubber solution into said vessel and mixing with nitric acid;
- and
- (d) further heating the resultant mixture effecting evaporation of said mixture, oxidation by said nitric acid of said iodine to non-volatile iodate, and precipitation of said iodate as insoluble mercuric iodate;
- wherein said introduction of said scrubber solution and said evaporation occur at rates continuously maintaining said mixture at a nitric acid concentration of about 15 to 16 molar.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.