RE: U-232 question

["Bradshaw, Keith" <Keith.Bradshaw@nnc.co.uk>]

Hi Bill/RADSAFE

	>How much U-232 would be present in Depleted Uranium?
> My understanding is that U-232,a daughter product of neutron activation =
> of Pa-231, would have been present when recycle uranium was introduced =
> into the uranium stockpile. However, if I understand this correctly, =
> during gaseous diffusion the U-232 would have went the same direction as =
> U-235, not the direction of U-238.
> 
	U-232 IS produced.  I've got some non-referenceable material here
that would put it at 0.1% of the U-238 activity (and 2E-09 mol% of total U)
some years after removal from reactor.  And it's depletion factor in
enrichment plant should be higher than that of U-235 because of it's smaller
mass.  There's going to be some left in the DU fraction, but it's only going
to be a fraction of a percent of the total U activity.  The long-lived U
isotope that builds up the most is U-236, which wouldn't be depleted as much
as U-235 in the enrichment plant.

	Before you base anything important on these figures, please
understand that I'm a humble searcher after the truth like you.  My
understanding of these issues is still incomplete.  The buildup of synthetic
U isotopes in a reactor depends on all sorts of variables, so that 0.1%
figure above probably could vary widely.

	>Previous characterization gave me ratios for Tc-99 and Am-241,
would =
> there be a correlation between these and U-232?
> 
	My understanding is that these are mostly removed by reprocessing.

	>Is it possible to run a gamma spec and establish a ratio to one of
the =
> known constituents?
> 
	Mass spec and/or alpha spec would be a lot better.

	>Bill Miller
	 
	Personal non-corporate views only 

	Regards

	keith.bradshaw@nnc.co.uk

	END


	END




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