Knudsen Effusion Mass Spectrometry of Nuclear Materials: Applications and Developments

Abstract

The nuclearised Knudsen Effusion Mass Spectrometry (KEMS) facility at ITU is a unique device to measure not only the partial vapor pressure and ionization efficiency curves of actinide compounds, but also the release of fission product from irradiated fuel. Those measurements provide fundamental data for the safety assessment of nuclear fuel in normal and accidental conditions as well as for long term storage. The system is installed in a glove box and operates at very high temperatures, and thus requires a specific setup. Currently a 20 years old KEMS system equipped with a quadrupole mass spectrometer and joule heating coil is used. For a future system, a prototype of a laser-heated furnace for the Knudsen cell has been developed. It presents many advantages in comparison to standard heating techniques and fulfills key requirements for use in a nuclear environment. All these subjects are discussed.