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Radiokrypton and radioxenon diffusion in silicate and sodium chloride media

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Abstract

The gaseous diffusion of neutron activated krypton and xenon were investigated in silicate and sodium chloride media at multiple pressures. Measurements of radionuclide transport were conducted by introducing each gas into the bottom of a 316 stainless steel two- bulb gaseous diffusion apparatus. The porous media bridge between each bulb was filled with either Ottawa density sand or granular sodium chloride sieved to obtain matching particle size distributions. The transport of each radionuclide was monitored by a collimated lanthanum bromide detector at each bulb over the course of several days until equilibrium distribution was achieved. Relative diffusion rates and relaxation times for each nuclide in different media and pressures are discussed and compared to results obtained in prior two-bulb diffusion studies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Brandon De Luna and Bradley Gladden for their assistance in experimental design. This research was funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (NNSA DNN R&D). The authors acknowledge important interdisciplinary collaboration with scientists and engineers from LANL, LLNL, MSTS, PNNL, and SNL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Rd, Bldg 159, 78758, Austin, TX, USA

    Joseph L. Lapka & Derek. A. Haas

  2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, 99354, Richland, WA, USA

    Justin D. Lowrey

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  1. Joseph L. Lapka
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  2. Derek. A. Haas
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  3. Justin D. Lowrey
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Correspondence to Joseph L. Lapka.

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Lapka, J.L., Haas, D.A. & Lowrey, J.D. Radiokrypton and radioxenon diffusion in silicate and sodium chloride media. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 5161–5166 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08533-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08533-5

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