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Development and validation of hybrid K-edge/K-XRF densitometer for assay of nuclear fuel from reprocessing plants

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Abstract

A non-destructive and noninvasive technique is preferable for characterization of the spent fuel solutions in the reprocessing plants, especially samples associated with high radiation dose. A hybrid K-edge/KXRF densitometer (HKED) technique has been designed, fabricated, and commissioned indigenously to accomplish the above objective for the spent fuel solutions from compact reprocessing facility for advanced fuels in lead cells (CORAL), Kalpakkam. This paper describes the customized design, development, calibration and validation of the HKED technique using a series of uranium solutions and corroborating the results with potentiometric method. Further, the pure and mixture of thorium and uranium as well as uranium and plutonium solutions were also assayed by HKED technique.

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Acknowledgements

Authors express sincere thanks to Shri. C.R.Venkata Subramani and Shri. K.Swaminathan, who initiated this work and also involved in the technical discussion during the fabrication of this facility in our laboratory. The authors thank Shri. J.S.Brahmaji Rao for his support while organizing the experimental set-up. The authors also acknowledge Mrs. R. Gangadevi and Dr. Balija Sreenivasulu for their help to carry out the potentiometric titration. The authors thank Shri. A. Anantha kumar and his colleagues for mechanical support to develop the facility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Division, Materials Chemistry and Metal Fuel Cycle Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603 102, India

    M. Bootharajan, R. Senthilvadivu, K. Sundararajan & R. Kumar

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  1. M. Bootharajan
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  2. R. Senthilvadivu
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  3. K. Sundararajan
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  4. R. Kumar
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Correspondence to M. Bootharajan or R. Kumar.

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Bootharajan, M., Senthilvadivu, R., Sundararajan, K. et al. Development and validation of hybrid K-edge/K-XRF densitometer for assay of nuclear fuel from reprocessing plants. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 324, 623–633 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07122-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07122-8

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