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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Measurement procedures for purified birch

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10145336· OSTI ID:10145336
Since start-up of the neptunium recovery and purification program at HAPO, the neptunium-has been subjected to the following process steps: Production of crude neptunium nitrate by the Redox and Purex plants; Production of purified neptunium nitrate, using an anion exchange process, in research and development facilities operated by CPD`s Process Chemistry Operation; Production of neptunium oxide (NpO{sub 2}) by Process Chemistry. Mixing the NpO{sub 2} powder with aluminum powder and incorporation in an aluminum-clad-target element, done by the Plutonium Metallurgy Operation of Hanford Laboratories; and Irradiation of the target elements in the Savannah River reactors; and Chemical reprocessing of the irradiated target elements at Savannah River to recover the desired plutonium-238 and the unconverted neptunium. As frequently happens to between-contractor transfers, neptunium material balances between Hanford`s NpO{sub 2} and Savannah River`s recovered neptunium have sometimes been poorer than expected. Because of wide spread interest in this problem, it was deemed desirable to put on record a description of the measurement techniques which have been used at Hanford for NpO{sub 2} and the improvements which have been made in the analytical methods. The measurement methods used for purified nitrate are also described.
Research Organization:
General Electric Co., Richland, WA (United States). Hanford Atomic Products Operation
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
10145336
Report Number(s):
HW--70728; ON: DE94010537
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English