Engineering topics

Carter, Rebecca

Publications and source records attributed to Carter, Rebecca.

3 records

DOE OSTI2022

Separations of U/Pu and Np/Pu using fluoride volatility

Here the importance of uranium/plutonium and neptunium/plutonium separations at large scale or at environmental levels is such that the reactivity of nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) with respect to other fluorinating reagents warranted investigation. We show that NF 3 does not convert PuO 2 or PuF 4 to PuF 6 , during separations of U/Pu and Np/Pu, even under forcing conditions. Herein, this is analytically demonstrated to trace level. This rather exclusive behavior has been reported for only one other reagent: BrF 3 . Confidence in this result now allows for rapid and selective separations of volatile UF 6 and NpF 6 from plutonium. Preliminary data concerning the separation of 233 Pa from 237 Np is also described.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2016

Synthesis and Analysis of Glass Analogs for Solid Fallout Debris

Following a nuclear detonation, radiochemists and post-detonation debris diagnosticians are tasked with performing high-quality analysis of fallout debris samples and accurate device interpretation. Debris formed following a nuclear detonation commonly consists of a heterogeneous glassy matrix containing uranium, plutonium, neptunium, americium, and fission/activation products. Homogeneous and well-characterized reference materials are critical for accurate post-detonation debris analysis. Such reference materials can include aged nuclear explosion debris from the Nevada Test Site (e.g., Trinitite) as well as 'fresh' doped-glass material. Recent work has highlighted the often heterogeneous nature of historical debris, which presents a problem from the aspects of safeguards accountancy and verification as well as micro-scale characterization (i.e., microbeam analysis). In this regard, our work focuses on the creation of homogeneous, 'fresh' doped-glassy standards containing uranium, plutonium, surrogate fission products (e.g., Sr, Cs, Pm, Sm, Eu), and urban material (e.g., Fe and Ca from construction material, stainless steel, aluminosilicates phases as a surrogate for dirt). (authors)

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

NASA NTRS2006

Flight Operations Analysis Tool

Flight Operations Analysis Tool (FLOAT) is a computer program that partly automates the process of assessing the benefits of planning spacecraft missions to incorporate various combinations of launch vehicles and payloads. Designed primarily for use by an experienced systems engineer, FLOAT makes it possible to perform a preliminary analysis of trade-offs and costs of a proposed mission in days, whereas previously, such an analysis typically lasted months. FLOAT surveys a variety of prior missions by querying data from authoritative NASA sources pertaining to 20 to 30 mission and interface parameters that define space missions. FLOAT provides automated, flexible means for comparing the parameters to determine compatibility or the lack thereof among payloads, spacecraft, and launch vehicles, and for displaying the results of such comparisons. Sparseness, typical of the data available for analysis, does not confound this software. FLOAT effects an iterative process that identifies modifications of parameters that could render compatible an otherwise incompatible mission set.

Easter, Robert↗