Chlorination of uranium metal in molten NaCl-CaCl2 via bubbling HCl

Molten chloride salt fast reactors (MCFRs) will require UCl3 dissolved in molten salt mixtures as fuel for nuclear fission. For infusing the salt with UCl3, bubbling HCl into NaCl-CaCl2 in contact with U metal was investigated. The reaction was run up to 9 h and yielded U concentration up to 0.652 wt.%. Open circuit potential between a W electrode and Ag/AgCl reference electrode yielded a potential consistent with uranium existing as U(III) in the salt. This demonstrates that HCl can be a very effective chlorinating agent to infuse MCFR fuel with UCl3 starting from U metal.