Removal of nitric acid from a simulated high level liquid waste by a safe chemical denitration

The heat and off-gas generation behavior was experimentally examined during a safe chemical denitration, pre- and mild-denitration, of simulated HLLW with a nitric acid concentration of 2 to 7.5 M. The maximum heat and off-gas generation were no more than 100 cal/s·1 and about 0.8 l/min, respectively. The solution temperature does not reach boiling temperature and no solution was squirted out from the denitration vessel. The pre-and mild-denitration technique could be considered as one of safe methods for removing nitric acid from the HLLW with various nitric acid concentrations. The pre- and mild-denitration also has an advantage to improve the filtration characteristics of precipitates produced by the denitration of simulated HLLW. The denitration of HLLW with 7.5M nitric acid concentration induced formation of “very easy-to-filter” solid. Moreover, a good filter cake washing is possible.     

Development of a safety denitration method to remove nitric acid from mixtures

In order to reduce heat and off-gas generation rates at early stage of the chemical denitration of high and medium level liquid wastes from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel, a safety denitration method, Pre- and Mild-denitration technique, was originated. In the Pre-denitration step, the formic acid of 0.06 to 0.3 times nitric acid concentration ([HCOOH]/[HNO₃]=0.06 to 0.3) was poured into a nitric acid solution at 80°C and denitration was initiated (Pre-denitration). Then additional formic acid was injected into the Pre-denitrated solution at a constant injection rate in 80°C and the solution mixture was heated up to the boiling condition (Mild-denitration). In the Mild-denitration step, the denitration reaction was smoothly initiated and a leak out of solution from a abrupt boiling has never occurred. The maximum heat and off-gas generation rates were about 50 cal/s-l and about 1.01/min respectively even in the 10M nitric acid solution. These measured values were low enough to ensure the safety operation of denitration.     

Development of a continuous homogeneous process for denitration by treatment with formaldehyde

Removal of nitric acid from high level liquid wastes (HLLW) of nuclear fuel reprocessing plants is warranted for simplifying the procedure for waste fixing. Chemical denitration aims to reduce the waste volume by destroying the acidity and subsequent concentration by adding suitable reductants. Reduction of nitric acid to gaseous products is an attractive way to accomplish denitration. Nitric acid reduction with formaldehyde proceeds with the formation of CO₂, NO₂, NO or N₂O depending on the reaction conditions and all the reaction products except water can be eliminated from the system in gaseous form. The HNO₃–HCHO reaction is governed by a complex mechanism of exhibiting relatively long induction period, depending upon the temperature, concentration of reactants and nitrous acid reaction intermediate. In the present work, a homogeneous denitration process with formaldehyde which offers safety and is governed by controlled kinetics was demonstrated on a laboratory scale. The induction period before commencement of the reaction was eliminated by maintaining the reaction mixture at a pre determined temperature of 98 °C. Based on the results accrued from lab scale experiments, the equipment for pilot plant scale operation was designed, the reaction efficiency for continuous denitration was determined and the investigation of nitric acid destruction was extended to full-scale plant capacity. The role of organics in the waste in foaming up of the reaction mixture was also studied using a synthetic waste solution.     

Electrolysis of Nitric Acid by Using a Glassy Carbon Fiber Column Electrode System

The electrochemical redox behavior of nitric acid was studied using a glassy carbon fiber column electrode system, and its reaction mechanism was suggested and confirmed in several ways. Electrochemical reactions in less than 2.0M nitric acid was not observed. However, in more than 2.0M nitric acid, the reduction of nitric acid to nitrous acid occurred and the reduction rate was slow so that the nitric acid solution had to be in contact with an electrode for a period of time long enough for an apparent reduction current of nitric acid to nitrous acid to be observed. The nitrous acid generated in more than 2.0M nitric acid was rapidly and easily reduced to nitric oxide by an autocatalytic reaction. Sulfamic acid was confirmed to be effective to destroy the nitrous acid. At least 0.05M sulfamic acid was necessary to scavenge the nitrous acid generated in 3.5M nitric acid.     

The effect of active carbon on the reduction of concentrated nitric acid by HCOOH

In nuclear industry, removal of nitric acid from solutions is required in the course of chemical separation and waste treatment procedure as well as in chemical conversion steps. The reduction of HNO3 by HCOOH to gaseous products such as nitrogen, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide is an attractive way to accomplish the denitration. A typical problem for the denitration is the existence of the induction period. The induction period has been explained as the time necessary to increase the concentration of HNO2, which is an important reaction intermediate, above a threshold value. In this study, adsorption sites on the surface of active carbon were found to promote HNO2 formation and efficiently suppress the induction period. Induction time was shortened by increasing the amount of active carbon in the solution. When the solution contains 3 M HNO3 and 1 M HCOOH, 10 g/L of active carbon was enough to eliminate the induction period at 50 degrees C. The catalytic effect exhibited by active carbon was similar to that reported for Pt/SiO2. Therefore, on the surface of active carbon, there is a redox cycle, where HNO3 is reduced to HNO2 and then the oxidized surface site will be reduced by HCOOH.     

Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of uranium, nitric acid and nitrous acid by least-squares method in PUREX process

Multi-wavelength linear regression spectrophotometry combined with method of least squares for simultaneous determination of uranium, nitric acid and nitrous acid in PUREX (Plutonium/URanium EXtraction) process was developed. The molar absorbance matrix was calibrated with absorbance data measured in the wavelength range of 350–500 nm for a series of standard solutions by linear least-squares regression. This method used information from the absorption spectra of U(VI)–nitrous acid–nitric acid solutions to determine U(VI), nitrous acid and nitric acid. In the range of 0.95–74.1 g/L U(VI), 5 × 10^?4–2 × 10^?3 mol/L nitrous acid and 3–5 mol/L aqueous nitric acid solution, the measuring precision for determination of U(VI), nitrous acid and nitric acid was 0.46, 4.09, and 0.68 % respectively. In the solution of 30 % TBP–kerosene, the measuring precision for determination of U(VI) and nitrous acid was 0.42 and 4.2 % respectively in the range of 0.95–74.1 g/L U(VI) and 5 × 10^?4–2×10^?3 mol/L nitrous acid. The spectrophotometric method can be valuable for monitoring and controlling of both species in PUREX process operation, thanks to its simplicity, efficiency and accuracy.     

Behaviours of trinitratonitrosyl complexes of ruthenium in dilute nitric acid solutions (author's transl)

This study aimed to elucidate the protolysis and condensation processes of the Ru complexes in relation to the concentration of nitric acid. The compositions of the dissociated and undissociated complexes were determined by the extraction with tributyl phosphate (TBP) and absorption spectroscopy in order to follow the rather rapid protolysis reaction of the complexes. The test solutions were prepared by dissolving the freshly obtained complexes into 0.50-0.001 M nitric acid solutions. The amounts of the undissociated complexes were determined at different elapses of time in the test solutions. The protolysis became significant when the concentration was below 0.15 M, and the dissociation rate suddenly increased at this concentration. At the concentrations above 0.2 M, the absorption peak of the complexes at 480 nm survived even after 144 hours. But below 0.15 M, the formation of dissociation products by protolysis was observed after the disappearance of the absorption peak. The amount of dissociation products rapidly increased after the preparation of the test solution as the concentration decreased below 0.15 M.     

Accurate rate constants for decomposition of aqueous nitrous acid

Decomposition of nitrous acid in aqueous solution has been studied by stopped flow spectrophotometry to resolve discrepancies in literature values for the rate constants of the decomposition reactions. Under the conditions employed, the rate-limiting reaction step comprises the hydrolysis of NO(2). A simplified rate law based on the known elementary reaction mechanism provides an excellent fit to the experimental data. The rate constant, 1.34 × 10(-6) M(-1) s(-1), is thought to be of higher accuracy than those in the literature as it does not depend on the rate of parallel reaction pathways or on the rate of interphase mass transfer of gaseous reaction products. The activation energy for the simplified rate law was established to be 107 kJ mol(-1). Quantum chemistry calculations indicate that the majority of the large activation energy results from the endothermic nature of the equilibrium 2HNO(2) ? NO + NO(2) + H(2)O. The rate constant for the reaction between nitrate ions and nitrous acid, which inhibits HNO(2) decomposition, was also determined.     

Oxidation State and Extraction of Neptunium with TBP

The change of Np oxidation state in nitric acid and the effect of nitrous acid on the oxidation state were analyzed by spectrophotometry, solvent extraction, and electrochemical methods. The Np extraction with 30 vol.% TBP was enhanced by the adjustment of the Np oxidation state using a glassy carbon fiber column electrode system. The knowledge of electrolytic behavior of nitric acid was important because the nitrous acid affecting the Np redox reaction was generated during the adjustment of the Np oxidation state. The Np solution used in this work consisted of Np(V) and Np(VI) but no Np(IV). The ratio of Np(V) in the range of 0.5M5.5 M nitric acid was 32%19%. The electrolytic oxidation of Np(V) to Np(VI) in the solution enhanced the Np extraction efficiency about five times higher than without electrolytic oxidation. It was confirmed that the nitrous acid in a concentration of less than about 10^–5 M acted as a catalyst to accelerate the chemical oxidation reaction of Np(V) to Np(VI).     

Effect of phosphate ion on filtration characteristics of solids generated in simulated high level liquid waste

The effect of phosphate ion on the filtration characteristics of solids generated in a high level liquid waste was experimentally examined. Addition of phosphate ion into the simulated HLLW induced the formation of phosphate such as zirconium phosphate and phosphomolybdic acid. The filtration rate of zirconium phosphate abruptly dropped in the midst of filtration because of a gel-cake formation on the filter surface. The denitration of the simulated HLLW contained zirconium phosphate improved the filterability of this gelatinous solid. The filtration rates of denitrated HLLW decreased with increase of the phosphate ion concentration, since the solids formed by denitration had irregular particle size and configuration in the simulated HLLW with phosphate ion. To increase the filtration rate of denitrated HLLW, a solid suspension filtration tester was designed. The solid-suspension accelerated the filtration rate only in the simulated HLLW with more than 1500 ppm phosphate ion concentration. Under this condition, the simple agitation can easily suspend the constituent solids of filter cake in the solution and a much higher filtration rate can be obtained because the filter cake is continuously swept from the filter surface by rotation of propellers.     

Uncatalyzed reactions in the classical Belousov-Zhabotinsky system. I. Reactions of bromomalonic acid with acidic bromate and with HOBr

The uncatalyzed reactions of bromomalonic acid (BrMA) with acidic bromate and with hypobromous acid were studied in 1 M sulfuric acid, a usual medium for the oscillatory Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, by following the rate of the carbon dioxide evolution associated with these reactions. In addition, the decarboxylation rate of dibromomalonic acid (Br2MA) was also measured to determine the first-order rate constant of its decomposition (4.65 x 10(-5) s(-1) in 1 M H2SO4). The dependence of that rate constant on the hydrogen ion concentration suggests a carbocation formation. A slow oligomerization of BrMA observed in sulfuric acid solutions is also rationalized as a carbocationic process. The initial rate of the BrMA-BrO3- reaction is a bilinear function of the BrMA and BrO3- concentrations with a second-order rate constant of 3.8 x 10(-4) M(-1) s(-1). When a great excess of BrO3- is applied, then BrMA is oxidized mostly to CO2. A reaction scheme compatible with the experimental finding is also given. On the other hand, when less BrO3- and more organic substrate - BrMA or malonic acid (MA)--is applied, then addition reactions of various carbocations with the enol form of the organic substrates should be taken into account in later stages of the reaction. It was discovered that HOBr, which brominates BrMA to Br2MA when BrMA is in excess, can also oxidize BrMA when HOBr is in excess. As Br2MA does not react with HOBr, it is assumed that the acyl hypobromite, formed in the first step of the HOBr and BrMA reaction, can react with an additional HOBr to give oxidation products. It was found that the initial rate of the reaction can be described by the following experimental rate law: k(BHOB)[BrMA]0[HOBr]0(2), where k(BHOB) = 5 M(-2) s(-1). A reaction scheme for the oxidation of BrMA by HOBr is given for conditions where HOBr is in excess. Model calculations illustrate qualitatively that the suggested reaction schemes are able to mimic the experiments. (More quantitative simulations are prevented by kinetic data missing for the various carbocation intermediates.) Finally, the effects of these newly observed reactions on oscillatory BZ systems are discussed briefly.     

Kinetic studies on the oxidation of uranium(IV) in nitric acid solution

The kinetics of oxidation of U(IV) in nitric acid solution by nitrous acid and air oxygen have been studied. The effects of concentrations of U(IV), nitric acid, hydrogen ion and nitrous acid in aqueous solution or oxygen in gas on the oxidation rate have been examined. The oxidation rate increases with increasing temperature and the activation energies are 47 kJ mol^–1 for nitrous acid and 91 kJ mol^–1 for oxygen. The mechanisms for both oxidation reactions are discussed.     

Extraction of copper(II) with the APCD/DIBK system from concentrated hydrochloric and nitric acid media: estimation of true limit of acidity for the extraction

The extraction of copper(II) from strongly acidic solution (0.01-8M hydrochloric and 0.01-5M nitric acid) with ammonium 1-pyrrolidinecarbodithioate in di-isobutyl ketone has been studied. Compared with the hydrochloric acid system, a considerably larger amount of the reagent is needed for complete extraction of copper chelate from nitric acid solution as the extract is more unstable in the nitric acid system. The decomposition of copper chelates extracted from nitric acid is based on the oxidation of the reagent and the chelate; the spectral change of the extract from nitric acid suggests that the copper(II) chelate is initially oxidized to copper(II) and then decomposes. The upper limit of the acidity of both acids from which the copper chelate can be quantitatively extracted strongly depends on the reagent concentration; the limit with 8 x 10(-2)M APCD (500-fold reagent: metal molar ratio) was taken as 8 and 4M for hydrochloric and nitric acid, respectively.     

Solid formation in simulated high level liquid waste of relatively low nitric acid concentration

Solid formation in a simulated high level liquid waste (HLLW) was experimentally examined at 2M and 0.5M nitric acid concentrations. The precipitation studies were conducted by refluxing the simulated HLLW around 100°C. Zr, Mo, Te and Ru were major precipitation elements in both 2M and 0.5M HNO₃ solutions. The amount of precipitate in 2M HNO₃ solution decreased with decreasing Zr concentration and no precipitation was found in the solution without Zr. Only about 10% of Zr, Mo and Te were precipitated, if the Mo/Zr ratio in the 0.5M HNO₃ solution was kept below 0.5. Complete removal of Zr and Mo was the most effective way to prevent solid formation in the solution with 2M and 0.5M HNO₃ concentrations.     

A note on the distillation of permanganic acid from sulphuric acid solutions

1. If solutions which contain XXX periodic acid and sulphuric acid are boiled, permanganic acid is found in the XXX concentration of permanganate in the steam is negligibly small until the sulphuric acid concentration of the solution exceeds about 6 M. It is at a maximum when the sulphuric acid is to M and then rapidly decreases as the sulphuric acid concentration further increases. 2.The'distillation of permanganic acid from nitric acid solutions is inappreciable even from the concentrated acid. 3. A brief account is given of the analytical application of the distillation from IoM sulphuric acid.     

Kinetics of benzene nitration by nitric acid

The kinetics of benzene mononitration in excess of 45–70 wt % nitric acid in a homogeneous liquid phase was studied. The data on the effects of temperature and nitric acid concentration on the reaction rate were obtained.     

Chelating ion-exchangers containing n-substituted hydroxylamine functional groups: Part 6. Sorption and separation of gold and silver by a polyhydroxamic acid

The sorption and desorption characteristics of gold and silver on a polyhydroxamic acid chelating resin are described. Gold is quantitatively sorbed from 0.5 M nitric acid or neutral solutions, and readily eluted with 0.5% ($\text{w}\text{v}$) potassium cyanide solution. Silver is removed from 0.05 M nitric acid or neutral solutions, and can be eluted with the cyanide solution or with 0.5 M nitric acid. Gold can be quantitatively separated from copper, iron and silver; gold and silver are sorbed from dilute cyanide solutions. Tests with river water and other eluting systems are reported.     

Polymerization kinetics in highly viscous media

The influence of the viscosity of the reaction medium on the rate of polymerization of styrene has been examined by adding different amounts of inert polystyrene to pure monomer and its solutions in benzene. Azobisisobutyronitrile was decomposed photochemically (λ = 365 mμ) at 25°C. or thermally at 70°C.; its rate of decomposition was followed by ultraviolet spectrometry. The rate of formation of dimethyl-N-cyanoisopropylketenimine (DKI) was followed by infrared spectrometry (2020 cm.^?1). The initiation efficiency was determined by the scintillation method with the use of a ¹⁴Clabeled initiator. The rate of polymerization was followed dilatometrically. An increase of viscosity does not affect the rate of decomposition of the initiator; on the contrary, during the photochemical decomposition, it causes an increase of DKI concentration and an appreciable decrease of efficiency (from 0.51 to 0.30). From the point of view of the rate of photopolymerization, an increase of viscosity causes a decrease in the order of the reaction with respect to the initiator (from 0.5 to 0.3) and an increase with respect to monomer from 1.5 to 2. These results are interpreted on the basis of a decrease of termination rate constant between two growing chains in favor of a termination reaction between a growing chain and a primary radical. These effects, due to an increase of the viscosity of the solution, on the initiation and termination reactions influence the rate of polymerization in opposite direction and compensate each other to approximatively 25%.     

Effect of urea on the enzymatic activity of a lipase entrapped in AOT-heptane-water reverse micellar solutions

A study has been made of the effect of urea upon the hydrolysis of 2-naphthyl acetate (2-NA) catalyzed by lipase from Rhizopus arrhizus in AOT-heptane-water reverse micellar solutions at pH 7. The partition constants, K, of 2-NA between n-heptane and aqueous urea solutions in the absence of micelles were also determined. It was found that K decreases when the concentration of urea increases. In aqueous solution the rate of hydrolysis of 2-NA catalyzed by lipase is dependent on the concentration of urea (at a given 2-NA concentration). This result can be due to a decrease in the magnitude of the association of lipase with 2-NA and/or to changes in the reaction rate of the lipase-2-NA complex. The modifications of the enzymatic activities elicited by addition of urea show a lineal correlation with K, emphasizing the relevance of hydrophobic effects in the loss of activity. Nevertheless, the slope of the line is higher than one, suggesting that changes in the conformation of the enzyme would be also important. Addition of urea to the micellar solutions provokes a decrease of the enzyme activity. From the dependence of the reaction rate with AOT concentration, the partition constant of 2-NA between n-heptane and the micelles, K(p), was obtained. In the presence of 2 M urea a value of K(p)=0.33 M(-1) was derived. This value is lower than that measured in the absence of urea (Aguilar et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 388 (2001) 231), indicating that incorporation of urea to the micellar interface produces a decrease of the association of 2-NA with the micelles. From a comparison of the results obtained in the micellar solution and in aqueous solution, it is concluded that the enzyme is more resistant to denaturation by urea in the micellar solution than in aqueous solution. Furthermore, at intermediate urea concentrations (2 M), the additive produces an increase in the Michaelis constant (K(M)) without a significant decrease (or even a small increase) in the catalytic rate constant (k(cat)).     

N,N-二甲基羟胺与HNO2的反应动力学

分别在高氯酸和硝酸介质中研究了N,N-二甲基羟胺(DMHAN)与HNO₂的反应动力学,通过考察溶液酸度、还原剂浓度、离子强度和温度等因素对反应过程的影响,获得高氯酸介质中反应动力学速率方程为-d[HNO₂]/dt=k[DMHAN][HNO₂],在18.5 ℃,离子强度μ=0.73 mol/L时,反应速率常数k=(12.8±1.0) mol/(L·min),反应活化能Ea=41.5 kJ/mol。 在硝酸介质中DMHAN与HNO₂的反应比较复杂,硝酸浓度较高时,硝酸将参与反应重新生成HNO₂,且硝酸浓度越大,HNO₂的生成速度越快,HNO₂与DMHAN的反应是自催化氧化的。 对DMHAN与HNO₂的反应产物进行了分析,并推导了硝酸体系中DMHAN与HNO₂的反应机理。