Test and evaluation of the in-line plutonium solution K-absorption-edge densitometer at the Savannah River Plant. Phase I. Off-line testing results
An in-line, plutonium-solution, K-edge absorption densitometer has been developed at Los Alamos and is currently undergoing test and evaluation at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). The first phase of the test and evaluation (off-line instrument calibration and solution assays) was completed, and preparations are under way to install the instrument in-line, as soon as process schedules permit. Calibration data in the design concentration range of 25 to 40 g Pu/L demonstrate routine achievement of densitometry assay precisions of 0.5% or better in 40 min. Plutonium assays at concentrations outside the calibration range were investigated in an effort to define better the limitations of the instrument and address other possible assay situations at SRP. Densitometry precisions obtained for 40-min assays range from 3% to 5 g Pu/L down to 0.4% at 70 g Pu/L. At higher plutonium concentrations, the precision deteriorated due to increasing gamma-ray absorption by the solution. In addition, with actinide concentrations above approximately 100 g/L, the assay accuracy also suffered because of enhanced small-angle scattering effects in the large sample cell. Measurements on mixed U/Pu solutions demonstrated the feasibility of accurate plutonium assays with correction for the large uranium matrix contributions being determined from the measurement data. The /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu weight fractions and /sup 241/Pu//sup 239/Pu and /sup 238/Pu//sup 239/Pu isotopic ratios can be determined. In a mockup of the in-line solution plumbing system, all assay sequences, error conditions, and interlock criteria were exercised and verified to be working properly.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5291926
- Report Number(s):
- LA-9124-MS; ON: DE82019193
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
PLUTONIUM
RADIATION ABSORPTION ANALYSIS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
CALIBRATION
DENSITOMETERS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GAMMA DETECTION
GAMMA RADIATION
ISOTOPE RATIO
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 241
PROCESS SOLUTIONS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DATA
DETECTION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MIXTURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ON-LINE SYSTEMS
PHOTOMETERS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
SOLUTIONS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
055001* - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability- Technical Aspects
400103 - Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures- (-1987)