Improved accountability method for measuring enriched uranium in H-Canyon dissolver solution at the Savannah River Site
At the Savannah River Site (SRS), accountability measurement of enriched uranium dissolved in H-Canyon is performed using isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS). In the IDMS analytical method, a known quantity of uranium{sup 233} is added to the sample solution containing enriched uranium and fission products. The resulting uranium mixture must first be purified using a separation technique in the shielded analytical( hot'') cells to lower radioactivity levels by removing fission products. Following this purification, the sample is analyzed by mass spectrometry to determine the total uranium content and isotopic abundance. The magnitude of the response of each uranium isotope in the sample solution and the response of the U{sup 233} spike is measured. By ratioing these responses, relative to the known quantity of the U{sup 233} spike, the uranium content can be determined. A hexane solvent extraction technique, used for years at SRS to remove fission products prior to the mass spectrometry analysis of uranium, has several problems. The hexone method is tedious, requires additional sample clean-up after the purified sample is removed from the shielded cells and requires the use of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-listed hazardous materials (hexone and chromium compounds). A new high speed separation method that enables a rapid removal of fission products in a shielded cells environment has been developed by the SRS Central Laboratory to replace the hexone method. The new high speed column extraction chromatography technique employs applied vacuum and columns containing tri (2-ethyl-hexyl) phosphate (TEHP) solvent coated on a small particle inert support (SM-7 Bio Beads). The new separation is rapid, user friendly, eliminates the use of the RCA-listed hazardous chemicals and reduces the amount of solid waste generated by the separation method. 2 tabs. 4 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 7117427
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-92-050; CONF-9207102-23; ON: DE92018534
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) annual meeting, Orlando, FL (United States), 19-22 Jul 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Measurement of trace uranium-235 and plutonium-239, 240 in waste tank material at the Savannah River Site
Measurement of trace uranium-235 and plutonium-239, 240 in waste tank material at the Savannah River Site
Related Subjects
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ENRICHED URANIUM
MEASURING METHODS
DISSOLVERS
EXTRACTION CHROMATOGRAPHY
ISOTOPE DILUTION
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
REPROCESSING
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SOLUTIONS
SPENT FUELS
T2EHP
URANIUM 233
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ESTERS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FUELS
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
MIXTURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEON 24 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
URANIUM
URANIUM ISOTOPES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
055001* - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability- Technical Aspects
400101 - Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
050800 - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing