ACCURATE NUCLEAR FUEL BURNUP ANALYSES. Seventh Quarterly Progress Report, June 1963-August 1963
Progress is reported on the development of accurate methods for determination of nuclear fuel burnup. A plot of the estimated plutonium-239 and uranium-235 fast and thermal chain yields relative to the uranium-235 thermal chain yields indicates that such nuclides are found to have constant yields at mass regions near 99, 138, and 148. Fission product neodymium is separated on a di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHP) column for mass spectrometry. The behavior on the column of several other elements present in irradiated nuclear fuel and their possible influence on the separation of neodymium from irradiated fuel is reported. Fission product neodymium did not migrate in unmelted fuel; however, in molten fuel the refractory fission products were observed to be concentrated among the last materials to solidify. When neodymium-150 is used as an isotopic diluent for measurement of neodymium-148 from flssion, the 142 mass position is also scanned to check for natural neodymium contamination. Equations for calculation of neodymium-148 and -142 by use of 142/150 and 148/150 ratios are derived. The ratio of mass 142/143 is more easily and accurately measured than the 142/150 ratio. The equations for calculation of neodymium-148 and -142 from measured 142/143 and 148/150 ratios are presented. (N.W.R.)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Vallecitos Atomic Lab., San Jose, Calif.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-015487
- OSTI ID:
- 4065302
- Report Number(s):
- GEAP-4361
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ACCURATE NUCLEAR FUEL BURNUP ANALYSES. Quarterly Progress Report No. 6, March-May 1963
Mass Spectrometric Determination of Burnup
Related Subjects
BURNUP
CONCENTRATION
CONTAMINATION
ELEMENTS
EQUATIONS
FAST NEUTRONS
FISSION
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUELS
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPIC EXCHANGE
LIQUIDS
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MEASURED VALUES
MELTING
NEODYMIUM
NEODYMIUM 142
NEODYMIUM 143
NEODYMIUM 148
NEODYMIUM 150
NEODYMIUM ISOTOPES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORIC ACID
PLUTONIUM 239
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLIDIFICATION
SOLIDS
THERMAL NEUTRONS
TRANSPORT
URANIUM 235