Method for radioactivity monitoring

Patent · Tue Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:862683

Umbarger, C John ^[1]; Cowder, Leo R ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos, NM
2. Santa Fe, NM

The disclosure relates to a method for analyzing uranium and/or thorium contents of liquid effluents preferably utilizing a sample containing counting chamber. Basically, 185.7-keV gamma rays following .sup.235 U alpha decay to .sup.231 Th which indicate .sup.235 U content and a 63-keV gamma ray doublet found in the nucleus of .sup.234 Pa, a granddaughter of .sup.238 U, are monitored and the ratio thereof taken to derive uranium content and isotopic enrichment .sup.235 U/.sup.235 U + .sup.238 U) in the liquid effluent. Thorium content is determined by monitoring the intensity of 238-keV gamma rays from the nucleus of .sup.212 Bi in the decay chain of .sup.232 Th.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 3988615
• Application Number: 05/572,042
• OSTI ID: 862683
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
radioactivity
monitoring
disclosure
relates
analyzing
uranium
thorium
contents
liquid
effluents
preferably
utilizing
sample
containing
counting
chamber
basically
185
7-kev
gamma
rays
following
235
alpha
decay
231
indicate
content
63-kev
ray
doublet
found
nucleus
234
granddaughter
238
monitored
ratio
derive
isotopic
enrichment
effluent
determined
intensity
238-kev
212
chain
232
uranium content
sample containing
gamma rays
gamma ray
disclosure relates
liquid effluent
isotopic enrichment
kev gamma
/250/