Real-time monitoring of plutonium content in uranium-plutonium alloys
Abstract
A method and device for the real-time, in-situ monitoring of Plutonium content in U--Pu Alloys comprising providing a crucible. The crucible has an interior non-reactive to a metallic U--Pu alloy within said interior of said crucible. The U--Pu alloy comprises metallic uranium and plutonium. The U--Pu alloy is heated to a liquid in an inert or reducing atmosphere. The heated U--Pu alloy is then cooled to a solid in an inert or reducing atmosphere. As the U--Pu alloy is cooled, the temperature of the U--Pu alloy is monitored. A solidification temperature signature is determined from the monitored temperature of the U--Pu alloy during the step of cooling. The amount of Uranium and the amount of Plutonium in the U--Pu alloy is then determined from the determined solidification temperature signature.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1213456
- Patent Number(s):
- 9121807
- Application Number:
- 13/710,533
- Assignee:
- U.S. Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2012 Dec 11
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Citation Formats
Li, Shelly Xiaowei, Westphal, Brian Robert, and Herrmann, Steven Douglas. Real-time monitoring of plutonium content in uranium-plutonium alloys. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web.
Li, Shelly Xiaowei, Westphal, Brian Robert, & Herrmann, Steven Douglas. Real-time monitoring of plutonium content in uranium-plutonium alloys. United States.
Li, Shelly Xiaowei, Westphal, Brian Robert, and Herrmann, Steven Douglas. Tue .
"Real-time monitoring of plutonium content in uranium-plutonium alloys". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1213456.
@article{osti_1213456,
title = {Real-time monitoring of plutonium content in uranium-plutonium alloys},
author = {Li, Shelly Xiaowei and Westphal, Brian Robert and Herrmann, Steven Douglas},
abstractNote = {A method and device for the real-time, in-situ monitoring of Plutonium content in U--Pu Alloys comprising providing a crucible. The crucible has an interior non-reactive to a metallic U--Pu alloy within said interior of said crucible. The U--Pu alloy comprises metallic uranium and plutonium. The U--Pu alloy is heated to a liquid in an inert or reducing atmosphere. The heated U--Pu alloy is then cooled to a solid in an inert or reducing atmosphere. As the U--Pu alloy is cooled, the temperature of the U--Pu alloy is monitored. A solidification temperature signature is determined from the monitored temperature of the U--Pu alloy during the step of cooling. The amount of Uranium and the amount of Plutonium in the U--Pu alloy is then determined from the determined solidification temperature signature.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
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