ANALYSIS OF ACTINIDES IN THE PRIMARY COOLANT OF A WWER-440 TYPE REACTOR

A simple and effective method has been developed for the determination of the transuranium isotopes in primary coolant samples of WWER-440 t ype reactors. Membrane filters containing undissolved particles from a bout one liter coolant were destroyed by mineral acids, then americium -curium isotopes and neptunium-plutonium isotopes were coprecipitated sequentially with NdF3 based on their different redox behavior. Alpha- spectra were determined by silicon semiconductor defectors connected t o multichannel analyzers. Activity ratios measured in a reactor unit w ith a failed fuel element were compared with calculated values of the same type of reactor under similar conditions. Parameters of the defec tive fuel (burnup, original enrichment) could be estimated.