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23 records · Page 2

Variation in plutonium dioxide sputter yields for 1–5 keV Ar+ ions

An oxide layer with a known thickness and chemistry was grown on delta stabilized Pu and sputtered with 1–5 keV Ar+ ions over a range of incident ion angle between 22° and 72°. From the time required to remove the oxide layer, sputter yields of PuO2 were calculated. The sputter yields appear to increase with higher Ar+ ion beam energy in the range of 1–5 keV at an incident sputter ion angle of 42° and were found to increase with a decreasing angle of incidence up to 62°. The degree of oxide reduction induced during the sputter process was found to vary with the incident sputter ion angle.

Donald, Scott B.↗

Analysis of Radioactive Waste and Contamination using 3D Position-Sensitive CdZnTe Detectors

INTRODUCTION The US has surplus plutonium. This material will be diluted in gloveboxes at SRS [Ref 1 and 2]. This process will create holdup. Holdup is material in an unexpected or unwanted location. Because this holdup material is primarily PuO2, it must be accounted for (measured). This measurement is typically done using a liquid-nitrogen cooled, HPGe detector. To enable more rapid processing, advanced holdup technologies are being explored [Ref 3 and 4]. METHODS For the surplus plutonium dilute and dispose program, the traditional detector system could slow down the optimal operational tempo of the program. A multiple-detector system, providing complete glovebox coverage, based on CdZnTe crystals, 3D-positioning electronics, and a coded aperture mask, is in the process of being developed by ORNL and SRNL [Ref 4].

Whiteside, Tad [Savannah River National Laboratory↗

Review of the General-Purpose Heat Source Module Reduction and Monitoring Processing at INL

A thorough review of the Module Reduction and Monitoring (MRM) process was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of processing. The degree of reduction was calculated using the mass balance of oxygen contained in carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) removed from all fuel processed between January 2014 through August 2019. The plutonia was slightly reduced from O/Pu ratio of 2.0 to a range of 1.991 to 1.999. The review evaluated publications generated when MRM processing was developed and performed at the Mound Laboratory. A similar degree of reduction was measured at Mound in the 1982 paper authored by Ernie Johnson as well as MRM processing of IHS-60 and some Cassini-era fuel. The original 1982 paper documenting the reduction process reported a mass balance reduction to 1.9931 yet reported a total reduction to ~1.98 (Johnson 1990). The IHS-60 and Cassini reductions were calculated at 1.995 and 1.997 using the number of moles of CO and CO 2 removed as published in a clad pressurization investigation report (Merten, et all 1995). MRM process changes are recommended to improve the accuracy of the CO partial pressure calcualtion.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Potential safety impacts associated with production of gaseous PuF 6 due to reactions between 3013-compliant PuO 2 with Novec TM 1230 at temperature

A part of the NNSA/SRNS Surplus Plutonium Disposition (SPD) project is a planned expansion of an existing facility with capabilities to handle, process, package, and characterize large amounts of plutonium oxide materials for permanent disposition at WIPP. The facility design for this future processing capability will include glovebox operations, HEPA filters, and exhaust/ventilation systems. An NNSA review of the facility support systems included comments on the potential residual reactivity of previously-stabilized PuO 2 , and on the possibility of chemical interactions between stabilized PuO 2 and a new fire suppressant (Novec TM 1230), a replacement for chlorinated/brominated compounds such as HALON TM , to be employed in the event of a room/glovebox fire where PuO 2 will be processed.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗