US3227798A - Bell furnace for the preparation of uranium metal by magnesiothermic reduction - Google Patents

Bell furnace for the preparation of uranium metal by magnesiothermic reduction Download PDF

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Publication number
US3227798A
US3227798A US291046A US29104663A US3227798A US 3227798 A US3227798 A US 3227798A US 291046 A US291046 A US 291046A US 29104663 A US29104663 A US 29104663A US 3227798 A US3227798 A US 3227798A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
bell
crucible
furnace
base
reaction
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US291046A
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English (en)
Inventor
Delange Maurice
Sauteron Jean
Vertes Paul
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
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Publication of US3227798A publication Critical patent/US3227798A/en
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B14/00—Crucible or pot furnaces
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B5/00—General methods of reducing to metals
    • C22B5/02—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes
    • C22B5/04—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes by aluminium, other metals or silicon
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B5/00—General methods of reducing to metals
    • C22B5/02—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes
    • C22B5/06—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes by carbides or the like
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B60/00—Obtaining metals of atomic number 87 or higher, i.e. radioactive metals
    • C22B60/02—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides
    • C22B60/0204—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium
    • C22B60/0213—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium by dry processes
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B11/00—Bell-type furnaces
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27D—DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE
    • F27D11/00—Arrangement of elements for electric heating in or on furnaces
    • F27D11/02—Ohmic resistance heating
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/0014—Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/62—Heating elements specially adapted for furnaces
    • H05B3/64—Heating elements specially adapted for furnaces using ribbon, rod, or wire heater

Definitions

  • this process consists in carrying out in a refractory crucible the reduction of uranium tetrafiuoride with metallic magnesium for the purpose of obtaining cast ingots of uranium metal following the reaction: UF +2Mg- U+2MgF +76 kcal. at 800 ⁇ C.
  • the heat thus evolved in the reaction is not sufficient to bring the mixture of uranium and magnesium fluoride to a temperature at which the viscosities of the two constituents permit of suitable separation of the metal from the slag. It accordingly proves necessary to carry out a preliminary heating of the reaction miXture of magnesium and uranium tetrafluoride for a period of time which is sutficient to ensure that the heat absorbed by said miXture is added to the heat evolved in the reaction -at the time of start-up of said reaction, thereby ensuring a perfect decantation of the metal.
  • the invention is concerned with the design of a furnace for the purpose of carrying out the above-mentioned reaction in which a variable addition of heat can be made in the reaction miXture, either for the purpose of initiating the reaction or for the purpose of accelerating the reaction, or again for the purpose of improving the yield by suitably shifting the equilibriurn of said reaction.
  • Another object of the invention is to make the operation of a furnace of this type particularly reliable by avoiding on the one hand any manipulation of the crucible itself during heating Operations and by permitting on the other hand the very rapid repair of this crucible in the event of leakage of magnesium and slag accompanied by ignition of the magnesum or in the event of fracture accompanied by leakage of uranium.
  • a final object of the invention is to obtain a substantial reduction in loss of time betwen two successive operations, thereby making it possible to increase the productivity of the installation without having any -adverse efiect on the reliability and safety of the plant as a whole.
  • the furnace in accordance with the invention is characterized in that it comprises a base or fixed supporting sole m ade of a refractory material on which is supported by means of a system which can be adjusted for height a crucible containing the reaction mixture, a movable bell which covers the crucible and which is adapted to rest on said fixed base in leak-tight manner through the intermediary of a sand packing which prevents any contact between the outer air and the interior of the bell, said bell being additionally provided With heating elements and safety devices which serve for the purpose of starting or controlling the reaction.
  • said furnace is characterized by various secondary arrangements which will be more specifically described below and which relate more especially to the means employed for the purpose of carrying out the height-adjustment of the crucible in the interior of the bell and the means which are intended to produce the automatic interruption of the heating 3,227,798 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 process as soon as the bell is separated from the fixed base on which it is supported.
  • the furnace comprises a fixed base or supporting sole 1 of re fractory material which is supported by pillars such as the pillar 2 on the bottom 3 of a tank constructed of concrete, for example.
  • the central portion of the base 1 is pierced with a bore providing a passageway for a support 4, the position of which c-an be adjusted for height by means of jacks 5 or by means of any other suitable lifting devices providing either continuous or non-continuous lift and located beneath the base in the interior of the tank.
  • the said support comprises a metallic plate 26 on which rests the bottom of the crucible '7 to be heated, said crucible being preferably constructed of steel with an internal lining consisting of a layer of refractory material.
  • the crucible is provided externally with welded reinforcing members or stay-plates 8.
  • the said crucible is provided at the bottom with a closure plate which is bolted onto a ange 9 on which is fixed a second closure plate 1@ by means of screws such as the screw 11.
  • the plate ll@ is fitted with a lifting ring 12 by means of which the crucible can be either set in position or withdrawn after completion of the reaction and cooling.
  • the furnace proper consists of a bell 13 forming a casing around the cruci-ble and adapted to rest on the fixed base 1.
  • the said bell is provided at the top with a yoke fitted with a lifting bar 15 on which is hooked a pulleyblock 16 by means of which the positioning or the withdraWal of the bell 13 can be effected from an overhead crane, for example.
  • the electric cables which are designated by the reference numeral 21 in the drawings, terminate at the bottom end of the box 17 in contact-pins 22 which are intended to fit inside sockets 23 through which current is supplied when the bell is placed in position on the base 1.
  • the contact-pins 22 in fact fit into the sockets 23 while the leak-tight joint between the bell and the base is formed by the penetration of an annular portion 24 which is integral with the bottom portion of the bell into the interior of a sand packing 25 which is provided at the periphery of the base.
  • This arrangement accordingly makes it possible if necessary to put the interior of the bell under an inert atmosphere with a View to preventing the degradation of the crucible as a result of oxidation.
  • a further result of this arrangement is to etlect the automatic interruption of the supply current to the three heating zones as soon as the bell no longer rests on the fixed base of the furnace.
  • the flange 6 on which the crucible 7 rests is placed on the steel plate 26 which covers the top face of the support 4.
  • a hollow metallic tube 27 is additionally secured to the plate 26. Said tu-be 27 transmits after having passed through the fixed base 1 the vibrations of the plate 26 to a probe 28 which is in turn connected to an amplifier and to a control device 29 such as a loudspeaker, for example, thereby providing a means of detecting the start of the reaction.
  • a further advantage of this type of furnace results from the increase in productivity which said furnace achieves without any attendant reduction in reliability and safety. It is in fact possible to provide one additional base per movable bell in order to envisage the alternate use of said bases.
  • the bells or heating vessels can also be employed again for a further operation as soon as one reaction has been completed, without entailing any need to shift crucibles which have been brought to a high temperature.
  • Bell furnace for the preparation of uraniurn by ma gnesiothermic reduction comprising a fixed supporting base of refractory material, a system of adjustable height in said base, a crucible mounted on said system, a removable bell covering said crucible resting on said base, a leak-tight seal between said bell and said base, heating elements for said bell, said heating elements being electric resistances mounted within said bell divided into a plurality of groups located one above the other in said bell forming separate heating zones, rigid and insulated electric cables and contactors for said resistances mounted on an external wall of said bell, rigid and insulated supply leads in said base for said cables connected to said cables through said contactors when said bell rests on said base, removal of said bell from said base automatically breaking the connections between said leads and said cables at said contactors, said system comprising a movable plate and jacks supporting said plate and said seal comprising a sand packing in said base and an annular portion for said bell received in said packing.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Inorganic Compounds Of Heavy Metals (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
US291046A 1962-07-06 1963-06-27 Bell furnace for the preparation of uranium metal by magnesiothermic reduction Expired - Lifetime US3227798A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR903240A FR1335564A (fr) 1962-07-06 1962-07-06 Four cloche pour la préparation de l'uranium par magnésiothermie

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3227798A true US3227798A (en) 1966-01-04

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US291046A Expired - Lifetime US3227798A (en) 1962-07-06 1963-06-27 Bell furnace for the preparation of uranium metal by magnesiothermic reduction

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US (1) US3227798A (en))
BE (1) BE634580A (en))
CH (1) CH397106A (en))
DE (1) DE1191582B (en))
ES (1) ES289488A1 (en))
FR (1) FR1335564A (en))
GB (1) GB996816A (en))
LU (1) LU43969A1 (en))
NL (1) NL294948A (en))

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3463470A (en) * 1967-12-28 1969-08-26 Ceramivac Mfg Inc Furnaces for treating ceramics
US3536309A (en) * 1967-02-28 1970-10-27 Onera (Off Nat Aerospatiale) Apparatus for the manufacture of chrome powder
US3619563A (en) * 1969-11-06 1971-11-09 Robert E Hirst Electrical heater for a beverage
US3787598A (en) * 1970-02-09 1974-01-22 Euratom Furnace and method for the pyro-chemical processing of nuclear reactor fuel elements
US4139341A (en) * 1975-07-31 1979-02-13 Etablissement Dentaire Ivoclar Firing kiln, especially a vacuum firing kiln for dental ceramic purposes
WO1996001033A1 (en) * 1994-06-29 1996-01-11 Beckley John P A vertically lifted portable electric furnace
US6157004A (en) * 1999-09-29 2000-12-05 Peacock Limited L.C. Electric heating or preheating furnace particularly for lining cylinders and/or for firing metal-ceramic
CN104100716A (zh) * 2014-07-25 2014-10-15 长沙矿冶研究院有限责任公司 带检漏功能的双层沙封装置及具有该沙封装置的工业窑炉
IT201600087451A1 (it) * 2016-08-26 2018-02-26 Patrizio Petrelli Forno per la pulitura di stampi, ugelli di filiere e componenti per impianti di trasformazione di materie plastiche in genere.

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1564235A (en) * 1923-12-05 1925-12-08 Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co Process and apparatus for melting and fining glass
US1678875A (en) * 1924-12-15 1928-07-31 Siemens Schuckertwerke Gmbh Electric bright annealing furnace
US1739958A (en) * 1926-08-02 1929-12-17 Farmer Malcolm Electrical annealing
US2354523A (en) * 1941-04-22 1944-07-25 Gen Motors Corp Heat-treating apparatus
US2966537A (en) * 1958-07-17 1960-12-27 Curtiss Wright Corp High temperature furnace

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1122712B (de) * 1958-03-24 1962-01-25 Commissariat Energie Atomique Ofen fuer sehr hohe Temperaturen zur Herstellung sehr reiner Metalle

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1564235A (en) * 1923-12-05 1925-12-08 Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co Process and apparatus for melting and fining glass
US1678875A (en) * 1924-12-15 1928-07-31 Siemens Schuckertwerke Gmbh Electric bright annealing furnace
US1739958A (en) * 1926-08-02 1929-12-17 Farmer Malcolm Electrical annealing
US2354523A (en) * 1941-04-22 1944-07-25 Gen Motors Corp Heat-treating apparatus
US2966537A (en) * 1958-07-17 1960-12-27 Curtiss Wright Corp High temperature furnace

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3536309A (en) * 1967-02-28 1970-10-27 Onera (Off Nat Aerospatiale) Apparatus for the manufacture of chrome powder
US3463470A (en) * 1967-12-28 1969-08-26 Ceramivac Mfg Inc Furnaces for treating ceramics
US3619563A (en) * 1969-11-06 1971-11-09 Robert E Hirst Electrical heater for a beverage
US3787598A (en) * 1970-02-09 1974-01-22 Euratom Furnace and method for the pyro-chemical processing of nuclear reactor fuel elements
US4139341A (en) * 1975-07-31 1979-02-13 Etablissement Dentaire Ivoclar Firing kiln, especially a vacuum firing kiln for dental ceramic purposes
US5539183A (en) * 1994-06-29 1996-07-23 Beckley; John P. Vertically fitted portable electric furnace
WO1996001033A1 (en) * 1994-06-29 1996-01-11 Beckley John P A vertically lifted portable electric furnace
US5585023A (en) * 1994-06-29 1996-12-17 Beckley; John P. Vertical lifted portable electric furnace and method for use thereof
US5783802A (en) * 1994-06-29 1998-07-21 Beckley; John P. Vertically lifted portable electric furnace and method for use thereof
US6157004A (en) * 1999-09-29 2000-12-05 Peacock Limited L.C. Electric heating or preheating furnace particularly for lining cylinders and/or for firing metal-ceramic
CN104100716A (zh) * 2014-07-25 2014-10-15 长沙矿冶研究院有限责任公司 带检漏功能的双层沙封装置及具有该沙封装置的工业窑炉
IT201600087451A1 (it) * 2016-08-26 2018-02-26 Patrizio Petrelli Forno per la pulitura di stampi, ugelli di filiere e componenti per impianti di trasformazione di materie plastiche in genere.
EP3287200A1 (en) * 2016-08-26 2018-02-28 Patrizio Petrelli Oven and method for cleaning molds, die nozzles and components for apparatuses for processing plastic materials in general
US11052577B2 (en) 2016-08-26 2021-07-06 Patrizio PETRELLI Oven for cleaning molds, die nozzles and components for apparatuses for processing plastic materials in general

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1191582B (de) 1965-04-22
GB996816A (en) 1965-06-30
CH397106A (fr) 1965-08-15
LU43969A1 (en)) 1963-08-27
FR1335564A (fr) 1963-08-23
NL294948A (en)) 1900-01-01
ES289488A1 (es) 1963-08-16
BE634580A (en)) 1900-01-01

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