Re: Analysis of Fly-ash samples(from Thermal Power Stations)

[mem6@juno.com (Milton E McLain)]

On Thu, 14 Aug 97 07:52:34 -0500 muthu@veccal.veccal.ernet.in writes:
>
>
>
>Dear radsafers,
>		Could anybody help me in getting the details about
>counting and analysis( both quantitative & qualitative of 
>radionuclides)
>of the fly-ash samples (generated from thermal power stations). Also I
>etc. ------------

On several occasions we (Texas A&M Univ., Dept. of Nucl. Eng.) were asked
by a local electric utility to analyze fly ash from their fossil fuel
generating plants for Ra-226.  The procedure used was to weigh out a few
grams into glass ampoules which were then heat-sealed and set aside for
about 3 weeks to allow for ingrowth of the Rn-222 and its gamma-emitting
progeny.  Then the aged samples were counted by gamma spectrometry which
measured the 609 KeV photons from the Bi-214 which is in secular
equilibrium with the Ra-226.  Quantitative analysis is performed by
comparison to a standard fly ash sample processed in the same manner.


Milton McLain
Professor Emeritus
mem6@juno.com