NITROUS ACID BEHAVIOR IN PUREX SYSTEMS [electronic resource]
A semiquantitative discussion is given on the formation, behavior, and decomposition of small (10/sup -5/ M to 10/sup -2/ M) concentrations of nitrous acid in nitric acid--tributyl phosphate systems. It is shown that nitrous acid is more stable in TBP than in an acid-aqueous solution. However, a typ...
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Online Access |
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| Corporate Author: | |
| Format: | Government Document Electronic eBook |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cincinnati, Ohio : Oak Ridge, Tenn. :
General Electric Company ; distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Department of Energy,
1959.
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| Subjects: |
| Summary: | A semiquantitative discussion is given on the formation, behavior, and decomposition of small (10/sup -5/ M to 10/sup -2/ M) concentrations of nitrous acid in nitric acid--tributyl phosphate systems. It is shown that nitrous acid is more stable in TBP than in an acid-aqueous solution. However, a typical plant solvent may consume nitrous acid through the diluent reactions faster than the normal decomposition rate of HNO/sub 2/. Autocatalytic reactions involving nitric acid which would raise the concentration of nitrous acid are not observed with Purex solvent below 50 deg C and in contact with nitric acid less than 10 M. These temperature and concentration limits may vary greatly depending on the diluent used with the TBP. Radiolysis produces nitrous acid from both aqueous and organic solutions of nitrates. An equilibrium value is reached which varies with composition but for acid solutions is less than 0.01 M HNO/sub 2/. Equilibrium requires an energy absorption of from 50 to 200 watt hours per liter. Highly nitrated solvent may release nitrous acid on exposure to ultraviolet light. The extraction of nitrous acid by TBP is through hydrogen bonding to the phosphoryl oxygen. The 1: 1 complex formed is of lower stability than the corresponding nitric acid complex but is more soluble in the organic phase. Infrared absorption curves are obtained for several TBP complexes involving nitrogen compounds. Several variables involved in the colorimetric analysis of nitrous acid are examined. (N.W.R.) |
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| Item Description: | Published through SciTech Connect. 05/01/1959. "hw-60278" Burger, L L; Money, M D. |
| Physical Description: | Pages: 21 : digital, PDF file. |