Obtaining Hydrogen Fluoride During the Interaction of Uranium Hexafluoride with Hydrogen and Oxygen in a Combustion Regime. Thermodynamic Analysis

• Published in: Journal of engineering physics and thermophysics 2021-07, Vol.94 (4), p.963-971
• Main Authors: Pashkevich, D. S., Zimin, A. R., Kapustin, V. V., Petrov, V. B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic properties; Classical Mechanics; Combustion; Complex Systems; Engineering; Engineering Thermodynamics; Fluorides; Fluorine; Heat and Mass Transfer; Hydrogen; Hydrogen as fuel; Hydrogen atoms; Hydrogen fluoride; Hydrogen production; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Nuclear energy; Nuclear fuel cycle; Nuclear fuels; Oxidizing agents; Oxygen atoms; Thermodynamic equilibrium; Thermodynamics; Uranium; Uranium hexafluoride; Uranium oxides
• ISSN: 1062-0125; 1573-871X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10891-021-02373-y

The objective of the work was to thermodynamically substantiate the method of obtaining hydrogen fluoride from uranium hexafluoride by its treatment in the flame of a hydrogen-containing fuel and an oxygen-containing oxidant. It was shown by calculations that in the system of elements U–F–H–O when the number of hydrogen atoms is larger or equal to the number of fluorine atoms and the number of oxygen atoms is twice as large as the number of uranium atoms, the major uranium-bearing compounds in the thermodynamically equilibrium mixture of substances at a temperature above 1100 K are uranium oxides, and the only, in practice, fluorine-containing compound is hydrogen fluoride. The indicated temperature can be reached in the case of interaction of uranium hexafluoride with hydrogen-containing and oxygen-containing substances in a combustion regime, e.g., with hydrogen and oxygen. The obtained results may become a basis for experimental investigation into the production of hydrogen fluoride from uranium hexafluoride in a combustion regime.