THE CHEMICAL AND SPECTROCHEMICAL PRODUCTION ANALYSIS OF ThO2 AND 233 UO2-ThO2 PELLETS FOR THE LIGHT WATER BREEDER REACTOR CORE FOR SHIPPINGPORT (LWBR Development Program)

摘要

The Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory has utilized wet chemical, emission spectrochemical, and mass spectrometric analytical techniques for the production analysis of the ThO/sub 2/ and /sup 233/UO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ (1 to 6 wt% /sup 233/UO/sub 2/) pellets for the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) core for Shippingport. Proof of the fuel breeding concept necessitates measurement of precise and accurate chemical characterization of all fuel pellets before core life. Chemistry's efforts toward this goal are presented in three main sections: (1) general discussions relating the chemical requirements for ThO/sub 2/ and /sup 233/UO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ core materials to the analytical capabilities, (2) technical discussions of the chemical and instrumental technology applied for the analysis of aluminum, boron, calcium, carbon, chloride plus bromide, chromium, cobalt, copper, dysprosium, europium, fluoride, gadolinium, iron, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, nitrogen, samarium, silicon, titanium, vanadium, thorium, and uranium (total, trace, and uranium VI), and (3) a formal presentation of the analytical procedures as applied to the LWBR Development Program.