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Title: Tritium monitor and collection system

Abstract

This system measures tritium on-line and collects tritium from a flowing inert gas stream. It separates the tritium from other non-hydrogen isotope contaminating gases, whether radioactive or not. The collecting portion of the system is constructed of various zirconium alloys called getters. These alloys adsorb tritium in any of its forms at one temperature and at a higher temperature release it as a gas. The system consists of four on-line getters and heaters, two ion chamber detectors, two collection getters, and two guard getters. When the incoming gas stream is valved through the on-line getters, 99.9% of it is adsorbed and the remainder continues to the guard getter where traces of tritium not collected earlier are adsorbed. The inert gas stream then exits the system to the decay chamber. Once the on-line getter has collected tritium for a predetermined time, it is valved off and the next online getter is valved on. Simultaneously, the first getter is heated and a pure helium purge is employed to carry the tritium from the getter. The tritium loaded gas stream is then routed through an ion chamber which measures the tritium activity. The ion chamber effluent passes through a collection getter that readsorbsmore » the tritium and is removable from the system once it is loaded and is then replaced with a clean getter. Prior to removal of the collection getter, the system switches to a parallel collection getter. The effluent from the collection getter passes through a guard getter to remove traces of tritium prior to exiting the system. The tritium loaded collection getter, once removed, is analyzed by liquid scintillation techniques. The entire sequence is under computer control except for the removal and analysis of the collection getter.« less

Inventors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10131671
Patent Number(s):
PATENTS-US-A7674981
Application Number:
ON: DE93008233; PAN: 7-674,981
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy
DOE Contract Number:  
AC07-76ID01570
Resource Type:
Patent Application
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 26 Mar 1991
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; TRITIUM; MONITORING; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; DESIGN; GETTERS; ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS; INVENTIONS; VALVES; SEPARATION PROCESSES; 540130; 440101; 400101; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT; GENERAL DETECTORS OR MONITORS AND RADIOMETRIC INSTRUMENTS; ACTIVATION, NUCLEAR REACTION, RADIOMETRIC, AND RADIOCHEMICAL PROCEDURES

Citation Formats

Baker, J D, Wickham, K L, Ely, W E, Tuggle, D G, Meikrantz, D H, Grafwaller, E G, Maltrud, H R, and Bourne, G L. Tritium monitor and collection system. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Baker, J D, Wickham, K L, Ely, W E, Tuggle, D G, Meikrantz, D H, Grafwaller, E G, Maltrud, H R, & Bourne, G L. Tritium monitor and collection system. United States.
Baker, J D, Wickham, K L, Ely, W E, Tuggle, D G, Meikrantz, D H, Grafwaller, E G, Maltrud, H R, and Bourne, G L. 1991. "Tritium monitor and collection system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10131671.
@article{osti_10131671,
title = {Tritium monitor and collection system},
author = {Baker, J D and Wickham, K L and Ely, W E and Tuggle, D G and Meikrantz, D H and Grafwaller, E G and Maltrud, H R and Bourne, G L},
abstractNote = {This system measures tritium on-line and collects tritium from a flowing inert gas stream. It separates the tritium from other non-hydrogen isotope contaminating gases, whether radioactive or not. The collecting portion of the system is constructed of various zirconium alloys called getters. These alloys adsorb tritium in any of its forms at one temperature and at a higher temperature release it as a gas. The system consists of four on-line getters and heaters, two ion chamber detectors, two collection getters, and two guard getters. When the incoming gas stream is valved through the on-line getters, 99.9% of it is adsorbed and the remainder continues to the guard getter where traces of tritium not collected earlier are adsorbed. The inert gas stream then exits the system to the decay chamber. Once the on-line getter has collected tritium for a predetermined time, it is valved off and the next online getter is valved on. Simultaneously, the first getter is heated and a pure helium purge is employed to carry the tritium from the getter. The tritium loaded gas stream is then routed through an ion chamber which measures the tritium activity. The ion chamber effluent passes through a collection getter that readsorbs the tritium and is removable from the system once it is loaded and is then replaced with a clean getter. Prior to removal of the collection getter, the system switches to a parallel collection getter. The effluent from the collection getter passes through a guard getter to remove traces of tritium prior to exiting the system. The tritium loaded collection getter, once removed, is analyzed by liquid scintillation techniques. The entire sequence is under computer control except for the removal and analysis of the collection getter.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10131671}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 26 00:00:00 EST 1991},
month = {Tue Mar 26 00:00:00 EST 1991}
}