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Irradiation of Methane by Recoiling Fission-Fragments

Abstract

Pure methane gas (containing <0.003% oxygen and <5 mg H{sub 2}O per m{sup 3}) has been irradiated at pressures ranging from 5 to 50 atmospheres pressure and at 30{sup o}C with recoiling fission - fragments. The gas is contained in a silica ampoule of volume about 9 cm{sup 3} and which also contains a platinum cylinder coated on the inside with 0.5 mg/cm{sup 2} highly enriched uranium oxide. When the ampoule is irradiated in a nuclear reactor with thermal neutrons, about half the fission-fragments recoil from the uranium and dissipate their energy in the methane. In a typical irradiation, methane at 10 atm pressure receives a dose of 5 x 10{sup 21} eV at an integrated reactor flux of 5 x 10{sup 15} neutrons/cm{sup 2}. Neutron flux i s measured by means of a gold-foil flux monitor. The activity of the Au{sup 198} is counted in a 4 {pi} proportional counter. The irradiation products have been detected by using beta-ionization detectors for gas-phase chromatography with suitable columns. The following products have been found: hydrogen, ethane, propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, iso-pentane, neo-pentane, the seven hexanes. Traces of higher hydrocarbons are undoubtedly present but the analysis of these has not been attempted.  More>>
Authors:
Hall, G. R.; Galley, M. R. [1] 
  1. Imperial College of Science and Technology, London (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
Nov 15, 1963
Product Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Conference on the Application of Large Radiation Sources in Industry, Salzburg (Austria), 27-31 May 1963; Related Information: In: Industrial Uses of Large Radiation Sources. Proceedings of a Conference on the Application of Large Radiation Sources in Industry. Vol. II| 344 p.
Subject:
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; 2-METHYLPROPANE; CHROMATOGRAPHY; FISSION FRAGMENTS; GOLD 198; HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM; IRRADIATION; METHANE; PENTANE; RECOILS; THERMAL NEUTRONS
OSTI ID:
22108174
Research Organizations:
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
Country of Origin:
IAEA
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ISSN 0074-1884; TRN: XA13R0363065985
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
page(s) 121
Announcement Date:
Jun 27, 2013

Citation Formats

Hall, G. R., and Galley, M. R. Irradiation of Methane by Recoiling Fission-Fragments. IAEA: N. p., 1963. Web.
Hall, G. R., &amp; Galley, M. R. Irradiation of Methane by Recoiling Fission-Fragments. IAEA.
Hall, G. R., and Galley, M. R. 1963. "Irradiation of Methane by Recoiling Fission-Fragments." IAEA.
@misc{etde_22108174,
title = {Irradiation of Methane by Recoiling Fission-Fragments}
author = {Hall, G. R., and Galley, M. R.}
abstractNote = {Pure methane gas (containing <0.003% oxygen and <5 mg H{sub 2}O per m{sup 3}) has been irradiated at pressures ranging from 5 to 50 atmospheres pressure and at 30{sup o}C with recoiling fission - fragments. The gas is contained in a silica ampoule of volume about 9 cm{sup 3} and which also contains a platinum cylinder coated on the inside with 0.5 mg/cm{sup 2} highly enriched uranium oxide. When the ampoule is irradiated in a nuclear reactor with thermal neutrons, about half the fission-fragments recoil from the uranium and dissipate their energy in the methane. In a typical irradiation, methane at 10 atm pressure receives a dose of 5 x 10{sup 21} eV at an integrated reactor flux of 5 x 10{sup 15} neutrons/cm{sup 2}. Neutron flux i s measured by means of a gold-foil flux monitor. The activity of the Au{sup 198} is counted in a 4 {pi} proportional counter. The irradiation products have been detected by using beta-ionization detectors for gas-phase chromatography with suitable columns. The following products have been found: hydrogen, ethane, propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, iso-pentane, neo-pentane, the seven hexanes. Traces of higher hydrocarbons are undoubtedly present but the analysis of these has not been attempted. Hydrogen is present in greatest yield and the yields of the hydrocarbons decrease in the order given above. Despite previously reported yields of ethylene (G-value-0.1) from gamma and fast - electron irradiations, no ethylene or other unsaturated products have been detected in this work. It would have been possible to detect 10 ppm in the products. This is to be expected as any double bonds which may be produced would almost immediately be hydrogenated by the hydrogen present. Yields for hydrogen, ethane and propane lie within the range of values that have been reported by other workers for gamma and fast electron irradiations. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1963}
month = {Nov}
}