Density Measurement of NaCl-MgCl2-PuCl3 and NaCl-UCl3-PuCl3 Molten Salt Systems by Neutron Radiographic Dilatometry
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
A novel neutron radiographic technique was developed and implemented to measure the change in volume as a function of temperature of select plutonium-containing liquid chloride mixtures from melt to 1250 K. These measurements were performed at Los Alamos National Laboratory by members of the molten salt research group under support from Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) voucher NE-21-25117: “Density Measurements of Plutonium Bearing Salts via Neutron Beam Dilatometry”. This technical report contains a description of the experimental method and a summary of the results. Initial characterization of the {NaCl, MgCl2, UCl3, PuCl3} salts used in this experiment includes a combination of x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, gamma ray spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Four samples of NaCl + MgCl2 + x mol% PuCl3 and four samples of NaCl + UCl3 + x mol% PuCl3 were prepared at the Plutonium Facility, shipped to the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), and radiographed with the density via neutron radiography (DvNR) apparatus. Density data in the form of meniscus heights were recorded as a function of temperature. The results show a linear dependence of density with temperature and a third order polynomial dependence of density with composition as a function of PuCl3 addition in the corresponding halide salt mixture. Additions of PuCl3 result in a significant increase in density of the salt mixture and a slight reduction in the coefficient of volumetric expansion. These results represent a first measurement of the density of plutonium chloride salt mixtures and, in combination with additional measurements, may lead to a generalized description of the density of such salt systems for arbitrary compositions and temperature.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001
- OSTI ID:
- 1962778
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-23-22835
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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