Preparation and quantification of radioactive particles for tracking hydrodynamic behavior in multiphase reactors.

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Engineering
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Radioactive particle tracking (RPT) is a valuable technique for multiphase flow analysis.
• Customization of RPT is necessary for specific applications, as it is not a readily available method.
• Development of reliable radioactive tracer particles is crucial for RPT success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a simple procedure for preparing radioactive tracer particles.
• To evaluate the performance of encapsulated gold and scandium particles as individual tracers.
• To demonstrate the application of neutron activation analysis (NAA) and X-ray Micro-CT for tracer characterization.

Main Methods:

• Neutron irradiation of gold and scandium using a TRIGA Mark II research reactor.
• Qualitative and quantitative neutron activation analysis (NAA) for tracer characterization.
• X-ray microcomputed tomography (X-ray Micro-CT) for performance evaluation.

Main Results:

• Successful preparation of radioactive tracer particles.
• Demonstrated performance evaluation of gold and scandium particles.
• Validation of NAA and X-ray Micro-CT for tracer analysis.

Conclusions:

• A simple and effective method for preparing radioactive tracer particles has been established.
• Encapsulated gold and scandium particles show potential for multiphase flow studies.
• The presented techniques provide a robust framework for radioactive tracer development and characterization.