RE: Alpha-Fluorine Neutron Reaction

["Fulmer, Philip" <philip.fulmer@cplc.com>]

One additional source of information (although it is an older reference)
is the report prepared by Battelle "A Guide to Good Practices at
Plutonium Facilities" (BNWL-2086), a standard document on the
bookshelves at DOE facilities that handle plutonium.  There is a
relatively detailed discussion of alpha-neutron sources beginning on
page 4-44 with a table (Table 4.7) that lists the neutron yield from 13
different alpha emitters in fluorine compounds (there are also columns
with the neutron yield from these same alpha-emitters in oxygen
compounds).   Figure 1.1 of the same report shows a crude drawing of the
expected spectrum of PuF4 but is not detailed enough other than to get a
general idea of the energy distribution.

Best regards and good luck.

Philip


__________________________
Philip C. Fulmer, PhD, CHP 
Carolina Power & Light Company
Harris Energy and Environmental Center
3932 New Hill-Holleman Road
P. O. Box 327
New Hill, NC 27562-0327
philip.fulmer@cplc.com
(919) 362-3363      

>----------
>From: 	Robert Tayloe[SMTP:nukemoto@earthlink.net]
>Sent: 	Sunday, March 01, 1998 10:12 AM
>To: 	Multiple recipients of list
>Subject: 	Re: Alpha-Fluorine Neutron Reaction
>
>Peter Darnell wrote:
>> 
>>      Does anyone have information (flux rates, expected neutron energies,
>>      etc.) regarding the alpha - fluorine neutron reaction from uranium
>>      tetrafluoride?  I am looking for a reference and some good field
>>      experience.  Please respond to me directly.
>> 
>
>Much of the information that you are looking for can be found in:
>
>Boneh, Y., et al, "Neutron Yields from Uranium-Fluorine Compounds",
>Nuclear Science and Engineering, vol 86, pp 106-115, (1984).
>
>Let me know if you have trouble locating this and other cited articles.
>I'll be happy to fax them to you.
>
>Please note that the U-234 content strongly affects the neutron
>production rate in UF4.  Usually only the U-235 isotopic content
>is mentioned in reference to enrichment.  You may wish to use a 
>mass spec for more accurate isotopic analysis.  As a rough rule
>of thumb, the amount of U-234 is about 1% of the U-235.
>
>Other articles of interest include:
>
>Sampson, T.E., "Neutron Yields from Uranium Isotopes in 
>Uranium Hexafluoride", Nuclear Science and Engineering,
>vol 54, pp. 470 - 474, (1974).
>
>Wilson, W.B., et al, "Neutron Production in UF6 from the
>Decay of Uranium Nuclides", Trans. Amer. Nucl. Soc., 
>vol 38, pp 176 - 178, (1981).
>
>Rob Tayloe <nukemoto@earthlink.net>
>Columbus, OH
>