Means to Eliminate Uranyl Peroxide Precipitation in SHINE Target Solution

Kalensky, Michael; Chemerisov, Sergey; Youker, Amanda J.; Tkáč, Peter; Krebs, John F.; Quigley, Kevin; Lowers, R.; Bakel, A. J.; Vandegrift, George F.

doi:10.2172/1132236

Cited by 7 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Table 1 shows the results for seven irradiations. Table 2 shows the G values for hydrogen and oxygen, and these numbers are comparable to those obtained in 2012 [1].…”

Section: Van De Graaff Resultssupporting

confidence: 76%

“…Because of the rapidity of UO 4 •2H 2 O precipitation (even at 20 o C), the measured data can be used to confirm the solubility product of the precipitate. Our results are in agreement with previous qualitative observations that the solubility of uranyl peroxide in ~100 g-U/L uranyl sulfate is around 1 mM H 2 O 2 [1]. Figure 5 compares our titration method results with the solubility product (K sp ) of metastudtite that is commonly used in thermodynamic databases (we used "data0.ymp.R5" of Wolery and Jove-Colon [7]).…”

Section: Figure 3 Photographs Of Typical Titration Test Samples Contasupporting

confidence: 90%

“…In the fissioning of an LEU solution as uranyl sulfate for production of Mo-99 to be used in medical applications, peroxide formation from radiolysis can lead to precipitation of uranyl peroxide [1]. Work on aqueous homogenous reactors with uranyl sulfate fuel in the 1950s showed that the reactor power is limited by the concentration of peroxide produced by fission fragments in solution [2,3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Peroxide Formation, Destruction, and Precipitation in Uranyl Sulfate Solutions: Simple Addition and Radiolytically Induced Formation

Youker¹,

Jerden²,

Kalensky³

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SHINE Medical Technologies plans to use fissioning of a low enriched uranium (LEU) solution as uranyl sulfate for molybdenum-99 production. One of the major concerns for SHINE is peroxide formation from radiolysis, which can lead to precipitation of uranyl peroxide. Bench-top experiments where peroxide was added directly to a uranyl sulfate solution were performed to determine the concentration where precipitation occurs as a function of temperature and concentration of ferrous or ferric ion to aid in peroxide destruction. Based on the experimental results and relevant literature, a thermodynamic/kinetic model for the precipitation of uranyl peroxide for a given set of conditions was developed and tested. The conditions that must be specified in the model are temperature, uranyl sulfate concentration, ferrous-or ferric-ion concentration, and the H 2 O 2 production rate. Additionally, experiments were performed using the Van de Graaff accelerator as a radiation source for radiolytically induced peroxide formation. Uranyl peroxide precipitated at 12°C when a uranyl sulfate solution was exposed to a radiation dose of 7900 Mrad in the pulse mode, but precipitation did not occur in the direct current (DC) mode at much higher powers. Because precipitation could not be achieved in the DC mode for this set of experiments, the effects of temperature and power on uranyl peroxide formation could not be determined. Future experiments will monitor current continuously, measure gas flow rates continuously, and use a uranyl sulfate solution that contains little to no iron impurity.

show abstract

“…Table 1 shows the results for seven irradiations. Table 2 shows the G values for hydrogen and oxygen, and these numbers are comparable to those obtained in 2012 [1].…”

Section: Van De Graaff Resultssupporting

confidence: 76%

Section: Figure 3 Photographs Of Typical Titration Test Samples Contasupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Peroxide Formation, Destruction, and Precipitation in Uranyl Sulfate Solutions: Simple Addition and Radiolytically Induced Formation

Youker¹,

Jerden²,

Kalensky³

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…pH changes are much more significant in nitrate media and can lead to precipitation of fission products and uranium in the absence of a continuous feed of nitric acid. In sulfate media, pH changes are not that significant, but peroxide formation leads to the precipitation of uranyl peroxide if a catalyst to destroy peroxide is not added to the solution prior to irradiation [19].…”

Section: Plant-scale Columnmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Uranyl peroxide precipitated during irradiation of uranyl sulfate solutions that did not contain catalysts. Ferrous and ferric sulfate, cupric sulfate, potassium iodide, 304 stainless steel turnings, and Zr metal have been tested as potential catalysts for peroxide destruction during irradiation of uranyl sulfate solutions [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Solution-Based Approach for Mo-99 Production: Considerations for Nitrate versus Sulfate Media

Youker

Chemerisov

Kalensky

et al. 2013

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Molybdenum-99 is the parent of Technetium-99m, which is used in nearly 80% of all nuclear medicine procedures. The medical community has been plagued by Mo-99 shortages due to aging reactors, such as the NRU (National Research Universal) reactor in Canada. There are currently no US producers of Mo-99, and NRU is scheduled for shutdown in 2016, which means that another Mo-99 shortage is imminent unless a potential domestic Mo-99 producer fills the void. Argonne National Laboratory is assisting two potential domestic suppliers of Mo-99 by examining the effects of a uranyl nitrate versus a uranyl sulfate target solution configuration on Mo-99 production. Uranyl nitrate solutions are easier to prepare and do not generate detectable amounts of peroxide upon irradiation, but a high radiation field can lead to a large increase in pH, which can lead to the precipitation of fission products and uranyl hydroxides. Uranyl sulfate solutions are more difficult to prepare, and enough peroxide is generated during irradiation to cause precipitation of uranyl peroxide, but this can be prevented by adding a catalyst to the solution. A titania sorbent can be used to recover Mo-99 from a highly concentrated uranyl nitrate or uranyl sulfate solution; however, different approaches must be taken to prevent precipitation during Mo-99 production.

show abstract

Controlling Pu behavior on Titania: Implications for LEU Fission-Based Mo-99 Production

Youker

Brown

Heltemes

et al. 2017

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Molybdenum-99 is the parent isotope of the most widely used isotope, technetium-99m, in all diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures. Due to proliferation concerns associated with the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU), the preferred method of fission-based Mo-99 production uses low enriched uranium (LEU) targets. Using LEU versus HEU for Mo-99 production produces ∼30 times more Pu-239, due to neutron capture on U-238 to produce Np-239, which ultimately decays to Pu-239 (t 1/2 = 24,110 yr). Argonne National Laboratory is supporting a potential US Mo-99 producer in their efforts to produce Mo-99 from an LEU solution. In order to mitigate the generation of large volumes of greater-than-class-C (GTCC) low level waste (Pu-239 concentrations greater than 1 nCi/g), we have focused our efforts on the separation chemistry of Pu and Mo with a titania sorbent in sulfate media. Results from batch and column experiments show that temperature and acid wash concentration can be used to control Pu behavior on titania.

show abstract

Means to Eliminate Uranyl Peroxide Precipitation in SHINE Target Solution

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Peroxide Formation, Destruction, and Precipitation in Uranyl Sulfate Solutions: Simple Addition and Radiolytically Induced Formation

Peroxide Formation, Destruction, and Precipitation in Uranyl Sulfate Solutions: Simple Addition and Radiolytically Induced Formation

A Solution-Based Approach for Mo-99 Production: Considerations for Nitrate versus Sulfate Media

Controlling Pu behavior on Titania: Implications for LEU Fission-Based Mo-99 Production

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About