Separation of Matter by Floatation

This invention relates to the floatation of matter at the surface of a liquid medium to assist its separation and is particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, concerned with the floatation of actinides in magnesium hydroxide based media.

In the reprocessing of nuclear fuel elements it is necessary to first separate the spent fuel from its cladding. For fuel which has been irradiated in the so-called Magnox reactors, the cladding is made from Magnox, a magnesium alloy containing small quantities of aluminium, manganese and zirconium. Once the cladding has been removed it is transferred to concrete silos where it is stored under water. Small quantities of spent fuel matter, that is uranium dioxide and traces of other actinide oxides become associated with the cladding and are therefore transferred to the storage silos.

During prolonged storage under water the cladding reacts with the water to give a magnesium hydroxide based sludge. The sludge also contains the particles of spent fuel that were associated with the cladding. Sludges containing actinides are also encountered in other industries, such as the uranium mining industry. It is desirable to remove the particles of spent fuel and/or actinides from such sludges.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a method of separating matter by floatation.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of causing matter to float at the surface of a liquid medium to assist its separation, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) changing the oxidation state of the matter;

(ii) bonding ions to the surface at least of the matter;

(iii) making a mixture comprising the product of step (ii), a liquid medium and a frothing agent for the liquid medium, the frothing agent having one or more groups of opposite charge to the ions of step (ii); and

(iv) causing the mixture to froth whereby the frothing agent and the product of step (ii) form a bond and are together concentrated in the froth at the surface of the liquid medium.

Preferably, the froth is removed thereby effecting separation of the matter from any other inert material present in the medium which is not floated in the froth. Further frothing agent may then be added, a froth produced and the froth removed so that substantially all of the matter is removed from the medium.

The ions of step (ii) may be anions, in which case the frothing agent of step (iii) has one or more cationic groups. Alternatively, the ions of step (ii) may be cations, and the frothing agent may have one or more anionic groups.

The oxidation state of the matter may be changed in step (i) to a state which facilitates the bonding of the ions to the matter in step (ii). For example, the oxidation state may be changed by oxidising the matter using oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, oxygen-enriched air or potassium permanganate. Alternatively, the oxidation state of the matter may be changed by reduction with, for example, hydroxylamine hydrogenchloride. The oxidation state may be changed only at the surface of the matter.

The liquid medium may be alkaline, neutral, or mildly acidic (for example ph 3 to 6). For example, the liquid medium may be an alkaline medium based on substantially magnesium hydroxide.

The matter may be particulate or may be dissolved ions. For example, the matter may comprise particles of a metal or an oxide of a metal such, as an actinide or an oxide of an actinide. Typically the matter may comprise uranium or an oxide of uranium, such as uranium dioxide. The matter may also comprise soluble ions such as the uranyl ion.

It is preferable that the matter comprises particles of 150 .mu.m in diameter or less.

In the case where the ions in step (ii) are anions, the ions are typically carbonate but other ions such as sulphate, chloride, phosphate, thiocyanate, and anions of carboxylic acids such as citric acid and ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid may be used. Examples of frothing agents having cationic groups which may be used are cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide and cetyl pyridinium chloride.

By changing the oxidation state of the matter of the surface of the matter, bonding of the ions to the matter is facilitated. The bonding of the ions to the matter gives the matter a charge which allows the matter to bond to a frothing agent having groups of opposite charge. When a gas such as air is bubbled into the liquid medium the frothing agent produces a froth at the surface of the liquid medium. Since the matter bonds to the frothing agent, the matter is floated to the surface of the liquid medium. Removal of the froth allows the matter to be separated from any species in the liquid which does or do not bond with the ions in step (ii).

An illustrative experiment will now be described by way of example, which will make clear the principles of the invention.

Uranium dioxide powder (1 g) is mixed with 10 g of corroded Magnox (a sludge including magnesium hydroxide) and conditioned overnight in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (6% w/v). This has the effect of oxidising the surface of the uranium dioxide particles present in the powder to uranium trioxide. The solution is filtered and the solid collected, re-bulked in a solution containing sufficient sodium carbonate to give a pH of 8 to 9. After this stage the surface of the particles contain a negatively charged complex of UO.sub.2 (CO.sub.3).sub.3.sup.4-. A solution comprising an excess of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide in alcohol (about 0.0001 M) is then added and air bubbled into the mixture to form a froth. The negatively charged particles of uranium dioxide stick to the positively charged end of the cetyl trimethylammonium bromide and are thus concentrated in the froth, which can be skimmed off the rest of the mixture, leaving behind most of the magnesium hydroxide. Typically 90% of the uranium dioxide particles are removed in about 40% of the water together with 25% of the Magnesium hydroxide.

When applied to the treatment of irradiated nuclear fuel, in particular the Magnox cladding thereof, oxides of actinides, such as uranium dioxide, plutonium dioxide and americium oxide present in the maxnesium hydroxide based sludge, produced during prolonged storage of Magnox fuel cladding under water, are floated. The sludge is first conditioned with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (6% w/v) to oxidise the surface of the actinide particles and then treated with a complexing agent such a citrate, followed by cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. Air is bubbled into the mixture to form a froth and float the actinide particles. The froth is then skimmed off to effect separation of the actinide particles from the remainder of the sludge.

The frothing process may be repeated by adding further cetyl trimethylammonium bromide and bubbling air into the mixture. In this way substantially all of actinide particles may be removed from the sludge.

It is envisaged that the floatation process may be used to float uranium dioxide particles in the uranium mixing industry.

It should be appreciated that the floatation process is not limited to use within the nuclear industry.