Treatment, Analysis, and Characterization of Fomblin® Lubricating Oil Waste in Uranium Enrichment Plants
Hexafluoride uranium. Fomblin. Uranium waste
Waste and tailings is an indispensable tool for controlling the environment. The stages of the nuclear fuel cycle generate toxic and radioactive waste of high activity that must be properly managed. The uranium enrichment process generates FOMBLIN® oil waste. This oil is suitable, approved and used worldwide in uranium enrichment plants, as a lubricant in vacuum systems that displace uranium hexafluoride (UF6) streams. UF6 and other compounds possibly formed in hydrolysis and oxidative processes, are toxic and radioactive, and can cause chemical and/or radioactive degradation of the oil. The volume of waste formed can be reduced by separating or removing uranium compounds from the oily, aiming for the safe disposal of radioactive waste. At the same time, oil recovery can be carried out with a view to its reuse in the process, when its stability is proven, which reduces the resources used and the disposal of a large volume of waste. Therefore, this work proposes the treatment of FOMBLIN® oil waste, based on the removal and analysis of the uranium compounds present, as well as the characterization of the oil for reuse in the process.