Evaluation of fiber optics for in-line photometry in hostile environments
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
Commercial fiber optic cables, both bundled and single-fiber, were evaluated for application in an in-line photometer being developed for monitoring uranium and plutonium concentrations in high radiation environments in nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. The attenuation of the optical signals due to both the radiation damage and to the couplings between lengths of optical cable was determined for specimen cables. An ultraviolet-enhanced fiber bundle demonstrated good radiation resistance to a total dose of 10/sup 8/ rad, which is the dose extimated to be received during a 1-y lifetime of the in-cell portion of the photometer. The loss in signal transmission at cable junctions was greater in the fiber-bundle cable than in a 1-mm-diam, silica, single-fiber cable: a loss of 6 dB across each junction in the fiber-bundle cable vs 3 dB in the single-fiber cable. Attenuation in the single-fiber cable after a dose of 10/sup 6/ rad was 2.5 times greater at 500 nm than that of a fiber bundle of similar length. However, the single-fiber cable was still usable at a dose greater than 10/sup 7/ rad. The photometer was designed to use a single-fiber optical cable with adequate radiation shielding. 5 figures.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 6073473
- Journal Information:
- Proc. Soc. Photo-Opt. Instrum. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Soc. Photo-Opt. Instrum. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 296; ISSN SPIEC
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360605 -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400600 -- Radiation Chemistry
ACTINIDES
CABLES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMISTRY
DAMAGE
DATA
DOSE RATES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIBER OPTICS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
GAMMA RADIATION
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MINERALS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUMERICAL DATA
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOMETERS
PLUTONIUM
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
SILICA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM