Recovery system for uranium from seawater using braid type adsorbent

Shimizu, Takao*; Tamada, Masao; Seko, Noriaki; Sakaguchi, Isamu*

Kaiyo Kaihatsu Rombunshu, 18, p.737 - 742, 2002/06

https://doi.org/10.2208/prooe.18.737

Total amount of uranium in seawater is 4.5 billion tons corresponding to 45,000 times of annual demand for nuclear fuel in the world, though its concentration is only 3.3 mg/m3. The target of this study is that the cost-down of uranium collection from the sea to three times of the market price. This price is cheaper than the recycle fuel by nuclear reprocessing. The present study proposed a high performance adsorbent made by means of both radiation induced graft polymerization and braid technique. The drag force of the braid type adsorbent in water channel was measured. In the west coast of Okinawa prefecture, the adsorption of uranium and the adhesion of sea creature were investigated. It was clarified that reduction of the drag force by the deformed braid adsorbent in the water flow, the increment of uranium adsorption owing to high temperature of seawater, and little adhesion of the creature.