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Title: FISSION GAS YIELD IN URANIUM

Abstract

The yield of xenon and krypton in irradiated uranium was found to vary with neutron flux from 4.8 cm/sup 3/(STP)/cm/sup 3/ uranium-atom percent burnup at 10/sup 12/ neut/cm/sup 2/-sec to neut/cm/sup 2/-sec as a result of neutron capture by the unstable isotopes Xe/sup 133/ and Xe/sup 135/. These results are applicable only to uranium irradiated in a thermal flux The fission gas yields of uranium and plutonium are shown to be approximately equal. As a result, the total fission gas yield for uranium of natural and higher enrichments decreases less than 2% up to a total atom percent burnup of 0.6. The available data show a small difference in the isotope yield between fast and thermal fissioning. Inasmuch as fast fissioning is only a small percentage of the total fissioning in a thermal reactor, ignoring the difference in fast fission yield will not introduce a major error in the calculations. (auth) The radioiodine collection efflciency of small activated charcoal cartridges was investigated under field conditions at a chemical processing plant stack. An average collection efficiency of 95% was obtained when the gas sample flow was limited to 0.1 cfm. A gamma spectrometer was calibrated for measurement of the I/sup 131/more » collected by the cartidges. Counting efficiencies of 1 and 10% were obtained for the two counting geometries used Comparison with results obtained with conventional caustic scrubber samplers indicate the need for further development of the charcoal cartridges. Recommendations are made to limit the use of the cartridges to situations where high I/sup 131/ concentrations are expected, since a higher analytical precision is possible with increased I/sup 131/ content in the cartridges. (auth) Mixtures of benzene (also perdeuterobenzene) and Mterphenyl were irradiated with 8-Mev electrons. The primary polyphenyls products were biphenyl; o,m-, m,m-, p-quaterphenyls; 1,2,3-, 1,2,4-, and 1,3,5- triphenylbenzenes; and approximately 21 of the possible hexaphenyls. The partial reactivities of the six distinguishable m-terphenyl position were estimated from product distributions. Initial hexaphenyl product distributions were estimated for the radiolysis of m-terphenyl at 80 deg C. (auth) Studies of the radiation effects on catalysts and the influences of solids on the radiolytic reactions are discussed. Results obtained in this field and the experimental techniques used are described. Depending on the nature of the solid and its preparational method, as well as on the reaction examined and probably the experimental conditions, the radiation can acceierate the catalytic reaction, diminish it, or in some cases cause no change. Industrial irradiation of catalysts, however, may not be practical in many cases because the irradiation effects will anneal at usual reaction temperatures. (auth)« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
OSTI Identifier:
4688064
Report Number(s):
HW-73394
NSA Number:
NSA-17-027416
DOE Contract Number:  
AT(45-1)-1350
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
CHEMISTRY; ATOMS; BURNUP; CAPTURE; EFFICIENCY; ERRORS; FISSION PRODUCTS; GASES; KRYPTON; NEUTRON FLUX; NUMERICALS; PLUTONIUM; REACTORS; URANIUM; XENON; XENON 135

Citation Formats

Weber, J W. FISSION GAS YIELD IN URANIUM. United States: N. p., 1962. Web.
Weber, J W. FISSION GAS YIELD IN URANIUM. United States.
Weber, J W. 1962. "FISSION GAS YIELD IN URANIUM". United States.
@article{osti_4688064,
title = {FISSION GAS YIELD IN URANIUM},
author = {Weber, J W},
abstractNote = {The yield of xenon and krypton in irradiated uranium was found to vary with neutron flux from 4.8 cm/sup 3/(STP)/cm/sup 3/ uranium-atom percent burnup at 10/sup 12/ neut/cm/sup 2/-sec to neut/cm/sup 2/-sec as a result of neutron capture by the unstable isotopes Xe/sup 133/ and Xe/sup 135/. These results are applicable only to uranium irradiated in a thermal flux The fission gas yields of uranium and plutonium are shown to be approximately equal. As a result, the total fission gas yield for uranium of natural and higher enrichments decreases less than 2% up to a total atom percent burnup of 0.6. The available data show a small difference in the isotope yield between fast and thermal fissioning. Inasmuch as fast fissioning is only a small percentage of the total fissioning in a thermal reactor, ignoring the difference in fast fission yield will not introduce a major error in the calculations. (auth) The radioiodine collection efflciency of small activated charcoal cartridges was investigated under field conditions at a chemical processing plant stack. An average collection efficiency of 95% was obtained when the gas sample flow was limited to 0.1 cfm. A gamma spectrometer was calibrated for measurement of the I/sup 131/ collected by the cartidges. Counting efficiencies of 1 and 10% were obtained for the two counting geometries used Comparison with results obtained with conventional caustic scrubber samplers indicate the need for further development of the charcoal cartridges. Recommendations are made to limit the use of the cartridges to situations where high I/sup 131/ concentrations are expected, since a higher analytical precision is possible with increased I/sup 131/ content in the cartridges. (auth) Mixtures of benzene (also perdeuterobenzene) and Mterphenyl were irradiated with 8-Mev electrons. The primary polyphenyls products were biphenyl; o,m-, m,m-, p-quaterphenyls; 1,2,3-, 1,2,4-, and 1,3,5- triphenylbenzenes; and approximately 21 of the possible hexaphenyls. The partial reactivities of the six distinguishable m-terphenyl position were estimated from product distributions. Initial hexaphenyl product distributions were estimated for the radiolysis of m-terphenyl at 80 deg C. (auth) Studies of the radiation effects on catalysts and the influences of solids on the radiolytic reactions are discussed. Results obtained in this field and the experimental techniques used are described. Depending on the nature of the solid and its preparational method, as well as on the reaction examined and probably the experimental conditions, the radiation can acceierate the catalytic reaction, diminish it, or in some cases cause no change. Industrial irradiation of catalysts, however, may not be practical in many cases because the irradiation effects will anneal at usual reaction temperatures. (auth)},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/4688064}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 13 00:00:00 EST 1962},
month = {Fri Apr 13 00:00:00 EST 1962}
}

Technical Report:
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