THE ANALYSIS OF A LIQUID METAL REACTOR FUEL
A procedure was developed for the analysis of a uraniummolten bismuth fuel containing 1400 ppm of U/sup 235/, 350 ppm of magnesium, and 250 ppm of zirconium. Analyses were performed for the above elements and for the corrosion products, iron, nickel, chromium, and manganese. The activity of the bismuth is approximately 0.2 r hr/sup -/s g/sup -/s at 1 ft and contains an approximate alpha activity of 10/sup 9/ d min/sup -/s g/sup -/s in the form of Po/sup 210/. The sample was dissolved in 50% nitric acid, whereupon zirconium and iron could be extracted directly by 0.5M 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone in xylene. The absorbance due to the iron complex was measured directly on the organic phase. The zirconium was stripped into a fluoride solution and determined spectrographically. For magnesium and the remaining corrosion products, an aliquot of the original solution was diluted tenfold. The polonium along with the bismuth was extracted by a 0.5M solution of the acid chloride form of tri-iso- octylamine in methyl isobutyl ketone. Three contacts were sufficient to reduce a solution originally containing alpha activity of 10/sup 7/ to less than 10/sup 2/ d min/sup -/s ml/sup -/s. To decontaminate the aqueous solution from rare- earth elements, a praseodymium fluoride precipitation was used. Finally, to decontaminate from the alkali and alkaline earth elements, bismuth hydroxide was used to coprecipitate the magnesium and corrosion products. This precipitate was then dissolved in such a way that the usual matrix for spectrographic analysis was obtained. Uranium was determined in a separate aliquot by a modified dibenzoyl methane method; 1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetra-acetic acid was used to chelate the bismuth and other interfering materials. After adjustment of the pH to between 6 and 7, the uranium dibenzoyl methane complex was extracted into amyl acetate. An adequate decontamination was thus obtained. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, N.Y.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-008739
- OSTI ID:
- 4106745
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-4442; 0039-9140
- Journal Information:
- Talanta (England), Vol. Vol: 6; Other Information: BNL-4442. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACETATES
ACETONE
ACIDS
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALKYL RADICALS
AMINES
BENZOYL RADICALS
BISMUTH
BISMUTH HYDROXIDES
BUTYL RADICALS
CHELATES
CHLORIDES
CHROMIUM
CORROSION
DECONTAMINATION
ELEMENTS
FLUORINATED HYDROCARBONS
IRON
IRON COMPLEXES
KETONES
LIQUID METAL FUEL
MAGNESIUM
MANGANESE
MATRICES
MEASURED VALUES
METHANE
METHYL RADICALS
NICKEL
NITRIC ACID
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLONIUM 210
PRASEODYMIUM FLUORIDES
PRECIPITATION
RARE EARTHS
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SPECTRA
TTA
URANIUM
URANIUM 235
WATER
XYLENE
ZIRCONIUM