Improvement of sample preparation for input plutonium accountability measurement by isotope dilution gammy-ray spectroscopy

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7233495

Nishida, K; Kuno, Y; Sato, S; Masui, J ^[1]; Li, T K; Parker, J L; Hakkila, E A ^[2]

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1. Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

The sample preparation method for the isotope dilution gamma-ray spectrometry (IDGS) technique has been further improved for simultaneously determining the plutonium concentration and isotopic composition of highly irradiated spent-fuel dissolver solutions. The improvement includes using ion-exchange filter papers (instead of resin beads, as in two previous experiments) for better separation and recovery of plutonium from fission products. The results of IDGS measurements for five dissolver solutions are in good agreement with those by mass spectrometry with {approximately}0.4% for plutonium concentration and {approximately}0.1% for {sup 239}Pu isotopic composition. The precision of the plutonium concentration is {approximately}1% with a 1-h count time. The technique could be implemented as an alternative method for input accountability and verification measurements in reprocessing plants.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7233495
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-92-2347; ON: DE92018916
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACTINIDES
DILUTION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
MANAGEMENT
METALS
MIXTURES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
PLUTONIUM
PROCESS SOLUTIONS
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SOLUTIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS