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Non-destructive determination of uranium and plutonium in annular (U, Pu)O2 mixed oxide sintered pellets by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

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Abstract

A non-destructive wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) spectrometric method for direct determination of uranium and plutonium in as fabricated annular sintered (U, Pu)O2 mixed oxide (MOX) pellets avoiding the traditional cumbersome sample preparation involving dissolution or comminution–pelletization of sample has been developed. Sintered (U, Pu)O2 MOX pellets were directly analyzed using this method by taking the sample pellets inside an indigenously developed special collet which was loaded in the spectrometer for WDXRF measurements. The developed methodology has the utility for regular analysis of samples in fuel fabrication facilities. The relative standard deviation of the analytical results for U and Pu using WDXRF were found to be better than ± 0.13% and ± 0.31% (n = 10) respectively and equivalent plutonium content obtained are in close agreement with the standard titrimetric methods.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge to the colleagues from Oxide Fuel Section, FF and Analytical Lab, FF for providing the samples and carrying out various analyses. We thank Dr. G. Singh, FF for his valuable suggestions and support. They also show their sincere thanks to Dr. N. L. Mishra, Ex. Head, X-ray Spectroscopy Section, Fuel Chemistry Division, BARC, Mumbai, India for his keen interest, extended co-operation and enormous support during the course of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fuel Fabrication, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tarapur, 401502, India

    A. Pandey, F. A. Khan, A. Kelkar, P. Purohit, Vijay Kumar, D. B. Sathe & R. B. Bhatt

  2. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India

    A. Pandey & Pradeep Kumar

  3. Integrated Fuel Fabrication Facility, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Pradeep Kumar

  4. Radiometallurgy Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    P. G. Behere

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  1. A. Pandey
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  2. F. A. Khan
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  3. A. Kelkar
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  4. P. Purohit
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  7. D. B. Sathe
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  8. R. B. Bhatt
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  9. P. G. Behere
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Correspondence to A. Pandey.

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Pandey, A., Khan, F.A., Kelkar, A. et al. Non-destructive determination of uranium and plutonium in annular (U, Pu)O2 mixed oxide sintered pellets by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 326, 423–433 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07309-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07309-z

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