[ RadSafe ] Re: Uranium Burning

[James Salsman]

According to the phase diagrams in the Gmelin Handbook and other
references for the oxidation of metallic uranium, depending on
the burning temperature, the expected combustion products are about
20% UO2, 60% U3O8, and 20% UO3.  The pyrophoric uranium munitions
safety studies done thus far have been using mechanical separators
and filters incapable of collecting particles smaller than 0.05
micron in diameter, and have reported 25% UO2 and 75% U3O8 only.

Sincerely,
James Salsman

alstonchris at netscape.net wrote:

> Folks
> 
> I'm loath to get involved in this, being not remotely a chemist, but, U3O8 is yellowcake, isn't it?  I thought that the thread had to with the burning of depleted U metallic projectiles and/or shielding.  Please advise.
> 
> Cheers
> cja
> 
> 
> James Salsman <james at bovik.org> wrote:
> 
>>Franz,
>>
>>Thank you for your comments:
>>
>>
>>>... Uranium Trioxide is a solid compound
>>
>>From J. Ackermann, R.J. Thorn, C. Alexander, and M. Tetenbaum,
>>in "Free Energies of Formation of Gaseous Uranium, Molybdenum,
>>and Tungsten Trioxides," Journal of Physical Chemistry,
>>vol. 64 (1960) pp. 350-355:  "gaseous monomeric uranium
>>trioxide is the principal species produced by the reaction of
>>U3O8 with oxygen" (at 1200 Kelvin and above.)
>>
>>Are you suggesting that a uranium fire doesn't reach 1200
>>Kelvin, or something else?
>>
>>
>>>... dispersion (I never read something similarly ridiculous
>>>as he claimes’!!!!)
>>
>>What do you find ridiculous about my description of dispersion?
>>
>>
>>>... he cites papers as a confirmation of his absurd comments,
>>>which clearly state a totally different result
>>
>>To what are you referring?
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>James Salsman