Author: C. A. Rohrmann
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Isotopic power generators
Languages : en
Pages : 116

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Author: D. E. Thomas
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nuclear fuels
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 10

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Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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For the radioisotopes with half-lives over a year, only eight appear to be obtainable in the foreseeable future. The fission products, strontium-90, cesium-137, and promethium-147, exist in wastes from reactor processing, diluted with enormous volumes of other elements and salts. Among those isotopes producible by irradiation of special target materials (cobalt-60, uranium-232, plutonium-238, and curium-244) cobalt-60, though easy to produce, requires a special design for the heat source generator because much of its emitted energy is penetrating gamma radiation. Cobalt-60 appears, therefore, to be rather limited in its prospects for use. Plutonium-238 is favored as a heat source because of its long half-line and no need for special shielding. However, its projected high cost, scarcity, and biological hazard encourages the search for a competitive material. When plutonium assumes a significant place as a recycled fuel in thermal reactors for power production, curium-244 can then become available at costs below that for plutonium-238. Curiunm-244 has five times the specific power of plutonium-238 and appears to be just as easy to handle. Promethium-147, although probably on the ''short end'' of the half-life scale, can be considered for some uses as a substitute for plutonium-238. Although the factors of availability, gamma activity, and biological characteristics are unfavorable, the strongly points for uranium-232 (and thorium-228) are extremely high power densities, relatively low expected costs, and unusually long-life nearly constant heat output. The short life of thorium-228 (1.9 years) is a disadvantage. This study indicates that aged promethium-147 should be receiving more serious attention as a heat source.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 17

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Author: Robert L. Mead
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Radioisotopes
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Author: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nuclear industry
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Author:
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Author: A. G. Barnett
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Neutron radiography
Languages : en
Pages : 24

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Neutron radiography was evaluated for application on isotopic heat sources. Three specimens were radiographed: (1) a Haynes alloy No. 25 container filled with a 50-50 wt % mixture of tungsten and molybdenum, (2) a tantalum-10 wt % tungsten cylinder with a welded end cap, and (3) a radioactive heat source containing three small capsules of 238Pu metal. Neutron radiographs were compared with gamma and x-ray radiographs and were found to compete favorably in most cases.

Author: D. L. Prosser
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Conversion
Languages : en
Pages : 10

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