Method for simultaneous analysis of radiocarbon and tritium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12013499-B2
Application number	US-202217959811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2022
Priority date	Oct 5, 2021
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for simultaneous analysis of radiocarbon and tritium, the method including (i) mixing a radioactive waste sample containing a radiocarbon nuclide and tritiated water, and an oxidizing agent; (ii) oxidizing the radiocarbon nuclide in the radioactive waste sample to a gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide by the oxidizing agent while suppressing volatilization of compounds containing gamma radionuclides other than the radiocarbon nuclide and tritium; (iii) discharging the gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide by injecting an inert gas to the mixture; (iv) vaporizing and discharging the tritiated water in the mixture; and (v) analyzing radioactivity of radiocarbon and tritium from the discharged gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide and tritiated water, and an apparatus for analysis of the same.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for simultaneous analysis of radiocarbon and tritium, the method comprising:
(i) mixing a radioactive waste sample containing a radiocarbon nuclide and tritiated water, and an oxidizing agent;
(ii) oxidizing the radiocarbon nuclide in the radioactive waste sample to a gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide by the oxidizing agent while suppressing volatilization of compounds containing gamma radionuclides other than the radiocarbon nuclide and tritium;
(iii) discharging the gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide by injecting an inert gas to the mixture;
(iv) vaporizing and discharging the tritiated water in the mixture; and
(v) analyzing radioactivity of radiocarbon and tritium from the discharged gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide and tritiated water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a temperature of 60° C. to 95° C. is maintained in (ii) above.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent in (i) above includes at least any one selected from the group consisting of H 2 SO 4 , HNO 3 , HCl, H 3 PO 4 , K 2 S 2 O 8 , KMnO 4 and K 2 CrO 7 .

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidation reaction time in (ii) above is from 1 hour to 5 hours.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inert gas in (iii) above includes at least any one selected from the group consisting of N 2 , He and Ar.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inert gas in (iii) above flows at a flow rate of 5 cc to 100 cc per minute.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein recovery rates of the radiocarbon and the tritium are from 90% to 97% after (i) to (iv) above.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiocarbon nuclide includes 14 C, and the oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide includes 14 CO 2 .

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tritiated water includes at least any one selected from the group consisting of T 2 O, HTO and DTO.

10. An apparatus for simultaneous analysis of radiocarbon and tritium, the apparatus comprising:
a reaction vessel for accommodating a radioactive waste sample containing a radiocarbon nuclide and tritiated water, and an oxidizing agent;
an oxidizing agent supply unit provided in the reaction vessel;
a first temperature control unit for maintaining a temperature for suppressing volatilization of compounds containing gamma radionuclides other than the radiocarbon nuclide and tritium;
an inert gas supply unit provided in the reaction vessel;
a unit connected to the reaction vessel for collecting and analyzing a gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide;
a second temperature control unit for vaporizing the tritiated water inside the reaction vessel; and
a unit connected to the reaction vessel for collecting and analyzing the tritiated water.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first temperature control unit is for maintaining a temperature of 60° C. to 95° C.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a 3-way value between the reaction vessel, the unit for collecting the tritium and the unit for collecting a gas containing an oxide of the radiocarbon nuclide.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the inert gas supply unit includes micropores.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the micropores have a diameter of 0.002 mm to 0.015 mm.

Assignees

• Korea Atomic Energy Res

Inventors

• Ahn Hong Joo
• Park Hwan Seo
• Lee Jong Kwang
• Lee Ki Rak
• Son Kwang Jae

Classifications

• B01D53/04

  with stationary adsorbents {(B01D53/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N1/4022

  by thermal techniques; Phase changes · CPC title

• G01N23/2202

  Preparing specimens therefor · CPC title

• G21F9/008

  Apparatus specially adapted for mixing or disposing radioactively contamined material (G21F9/305 and G21F9/308 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/0055

  Radionuclides · CPC title