Sun Ho Han

Studies on complexation and solvent extraction of lanthanides in the presence of diaza-18-crown-6-di-isopropionic acid.

Stability constants of some lanthanides with K22DAP (diaza-18-crown-6-diisopropionic acid) were determined by potentiometric titration method. The logarithmic values of these constants for La(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), Tb(III), Dy(III), Er(III), and Lu(III) are 11.14, 11.43, 11.78, 11.74, 11.95, 12.09, 11.49, and 10.88, respectively. Solvent extraction studies were carried out on the K22DAP complexes of La(III), Nd(III) and Lu(III) using TTA (thenoyltrifluoroacetone) as an extractant in different diluents. It appears that nitrobenzene, a diluent with high dielectric constant, favors the extraction of the complexes. Extraction rates of the K22DAP complexes of lanthanides were investigated at pH 5.5 and 8.0 with TTA in chloroform. The rates of extraction are found to be dependent upon the nature of the extracted species. Competitive extractions were carried out to see if selective extractions could be achieved.

The measurement of 129I for the cement and the paraffin solidified low and intermediate level wastes (LILWs), spent resin or evaporated bottom from the pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants.

In this paper a relatively simple and low cost analysis procedure to apply to a routine analysis of (129)I in low and intermediate level radioactive wastes (LILWs), cement and paraffin solidified evaporated bottom and spent resin, which are produced from nuclear power plants (NPPs), pressurized water reactors (PWR), is presented. The (129)I is separated from other nuclides in LILWs using an anion exchange adsorption and solvent extraction by controlling the oxidation and reduction state and is then precipitated as silver iodide for counting the beta activity with a low background gas proportional counter (GPC). The counting efficiency of GPC was varied from 4% to 8% and it was reversely proportional to the weight of AgI by a self absorption of the beta activity. Compared to a higher pH, the chemical recovery of iodide as AgI was lowered at pH 4. It was found that the chemical recovery of iodide for the cement powder showed a lower trend by increasing the cement powder weight, but it was not affected for the paraffin sample. In this experiment, the overall chemical recovery yield of the cement and paraffin solidified LILW samples and the average weight of them were 67+/-3% and 5.43+/-0.53 g, 70+/-7% and 10.40+/-1.60 g, respectively. And the minimum detectable activity (MDA) of (129)I for the cement and paraffin solidified LILW samples was calculated as 0.070 and 0.036 Bq/g, respectively. Among the analyzed cement solidified LILW samples, (129)I activity concentration of four samples was slightly higher than the MDA and their ranges were 0.076-0.114 Bq/g. Also of the analyzed paraffin solidified LILW samples, five samples contained a little higher (129)I activity concentration than the MDA and their ranges were 0.036-0.107 Bq/g.

SHIELDED LASER ABLATION ICP-MS SYSTEM FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF HIGH BURNUP FUEL

In modem power reactors, nuclear fuels have recently reached 55,000 MWd/MtU from the initial average burnup of 35,000 MWd/MtU to reduce the fuel cycle cost and waste volume. At such high burnups, a fuel pellet produces fission products proportional to the burnup and creates a typical high burnup structure around the periphery region of the pellet, producing the so called rim effect. This rim region of a highly burnt fuel is known to be ca. in width and is known to affect the fuel integrity. To characterize the local burnup in the rim region, solid sampling in the micro meter region by laser ablation is needed so that the distribution of isotopes can be determined by ICP-MS. For this procedure, special radiation shielding is required for personnel safety. In this study, we installed a radiation shielded laser ablation ICP-MS system, and a performance test of the developed system was conducted to evaluate the safe operation of instruments.

Burnup Determination of High Burnup and Dry Processed Fuels Based on Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometric Measurements

Destructive methods were used for the burnup determination of a PWR nuclear fuel irradiated to a high burnup in power reactors, and of a dry processed fuel fabricated from a spent PWR fuel and irradiated in the Hanaro research reactor. The total burnup was determined from a measurement of the Nd and Cs isotope burnup monitors. The methods included U, Pu, 148Nd, 145Nd+146Nd, total of the Nd isotopes, 133Cs and 137Cs determinations by the isotope dilution mass spectrometric method (IDMS) by using quadrupole spikes (233U, 242Pu, 150Nd, and 133Cs). The methods involved two sequential anion exchange resin (AG 1X8 and 1X4) separation procedures and a Cs purification with a cation exchange resin (AG 50WX4) separation procedure. The results obtained by the Nd and Cs isotopes from the mass spectrometric measurement were compared with those by the ORIGEN code.