Iodine-129 process control monitor for evaporator off-gas streams
Continuous monitoring of gaseous /sup 129/I in evaporator off-gas at nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities is important from both regulatory and process control viewpoints. Accordingly, continuous monitoring of evaporator overheads would supply the necessary information to retain /sup 129/I in the evaporator bottoms should a process control mechanism for the evaporator be developed. Although a continuous /sup 129/I monitor for nuclear fuel reprocessing plant off-gas streams has already been developed, monitoring of evaporator overheads presents unique problems for /sup 129/I monitoring, including /sup 129/I in the form of liquid aerosols, high concentrations of nitric acid mist and organics, and high concentrations of other radionuclides such as /sup 137/Cs. The off-gas is also predominantly water vapor. A two-phase laboratory study was completed. First, the proper configuration to successfully detect /sup 129/I was examined. Second, a 2/sup 4/ factorial design experiment was performed to determine the monitor's response to aerosols, organics, HNO/sub 3/, and /sup 137/Cs. Both response and variability for the monitor were determined. Major conclusions were: the presence of HNO/sub 3/ had no statistically significant effect on the response of the monitor; the presence of TBP significantly increased the response of the monitor; the use of a filter, corresponding to low aerosol conditions, significantly increased the response of the monitor. A filter should be used because the decreased monitor response if the filter is not used (high aerosol conditions); under conditions of the experiments, /sup 137/Cs remained in the evaporator bottoms; and no effect of /sup 137/Cs on the monitor was observed; and the variability of the monitor was not significantly affected by the filter, TBP, HNO/sub 3/, or /sup 137/Cs. The monitor when used with a filter, was considered suitable for use in evaporator off-gas streams.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Co., Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-84ID12435
- OSTI ID:
- 5231401
- Report Number(s):
- WINCO-1001; ON: DE84009370
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
IODINE 129
MONITORS
RADIATION MONITORING
AEROSOLS
CESIUM 127
EVAPORATORS
NITRIC ACID
PROCESS CONTROL
TBP
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
COLLOIDS
CONTROL
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ESTERS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS
RADIOISOTOPES
SOLS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing