Transuranium Processing Plant semiannual report of production, status, and plans for period ending June 30, 1977

Technical Report · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5228932· OSTI ID:5228932

King, L. J.; Bigelow, J. E.; Collins, E. D.

During the period January 1, 1977, through June 30, 1977, the following amounts of transuranium elements were recovered from 12 irradiated HFIR targets: 0.1g /sup 243/Am, 21g /sup 244/Cm, 29.5 mg /sup 249/Bk, 288 mg /sup 252/Cf, 1.48 mg /sup 253/Es, and 0.7 pg /sup 257/Fm. One batch of high-purity /sup 248/Cm (approximately 50 mg) was separated from /sup 252/Cf. Twenty-three shipments were made from TRU during the period; recipients and the amounts of nuclides are tabulated. Five HFIR targets, each containing 8 to 9 g of curium, were fabricated. During the next 18 months, we expect to obtain totals of 92 mg of /sup 249/Bk, 910 mg of /sup 252/Cf, 3.8 mg of /sup 253/Es (in a mixture of isotopes), 615 ..mu..g of high-purity /sup 253/Es, and 1.6 pg of /sup 257/Fm; we also expect to make available 250 mg of high-purity /sup 248/Cm. No process or equipment changes were made during this report period. Five neutron sources were fabricated during this report period, bringing the total fabricated to date to 97. Two sources that had previously been returned to TRU were reassigned. Special projects included the following: (1) the enrichment of the /sup 244/Pu concentration in 100 mg of plutonium by irradiation to burn out the lighter isotopes, (2) the separation of 245 pg of /sup 254/Cf from 39-hr /sup 254m/Es that was produced by irradiation of 5 ..mu..g of /sup 253/Es, and (3) an experimental separation of cerium from the other rare-earth elements in a TRU process waste solution. The values that we are currently using for transuranium element decay data and for cross-section data in planning irradiation-processing cycles, calculating production forecasts, and assaying products are tabulated in the Appendix.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5228932
• Report Number(s): ORNL-5358
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400703* -- Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Radioisotope Production
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 243
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
BERKELIUM 249
BERKELIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
CURIUM 244
CURIUM ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
EINSTEINIUM 253
EINSTEINIUM ISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FABRICATION
FERMIUM 257
FERMIUM ISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
ISOTOPES
NEUTRON SOURCES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PARTICLE SOURCES
PRODUCTION
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOISOTOPES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES