An online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for uranium purification process

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the technical field of automatic analysis and measurement in uranium purification and hydrometallurgical processes, and specifically relates to an online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for uranium purification processes. A sodium iodide crystal is disposed within a shielding component, a photomultiplier tube is coupled below the sodium iodide crystal, an electronic circuit is disposed below the photomultiplier tube, and a cable is disposed below the electronic circuit. The cable passes through the shielding component, which is provided with a support frame connected to the photomultiplier tube. A through-hole is formed in the sodium iodide crystal, through which a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube passes. The two ends of the PTFE tube respectively serve as a solution inlet and a solution outlet, both of which pass through the shielding component. The present invention is suitable for measuring high-concentration uranium in the automatic analysis of uranium purification and hydrometallurgical processes, and measures the uranium concentration in the solution without the addition of any chemical reagents.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of automatic analysis and measurement of uranium purification process and uranium hydrometallurgy process, and particularly relates to an online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device used in uranium purification process. Background Art

[0002] During the uranium purification process, diuranate and U3O8 are dissolved and further purified. During this process, the uranium concentration in the solution is relatively high. The current analysis methods mainly include laboratory colorimetric analysis, spectrophotometric measurement, manual titration and soft gamma absorption. Although the colorimetric method realizes online analysis, it requires dilution and consumption of a large amount of reagents to measure high-concentration uranium solutions. It also requires personnel to prepare and manage the reagents, which is not suitable for the current unmanned development direction. The soft gamma absorption method is also sensitive to high concentrations of acid in the solution, and the soft gamma absorption method requires the use of a radioactive source. 241 Therefore, the development of an online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for the uranium purification process to achieve unattended uranium concentration monitoring is of great significance for the automation of the uranium purification process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to provide an online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for use in uranium purification processes. This device is suitable for measuring high-concentration uranium in automated analysis during uranium purification and hydrometallurgical processes. It measures uranium concentration in solutions without the addition of any chemical reagents. Because the uranium concentration being measured is relatively high, its radioactivity is also high. By designing the sodium iodide crystal structure, the efficiency of detecting uranium radiation emitted from the solution is improved, allowing analysis and determination of the uranium concentration in the solution. The measurement process does not require the addition of any chemical reagents, resulting in no contamination to the solution being measured, no waste generation, and environmentally friendly operation. It also reduces labor intensity and facilitates unattended, automated measurement.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0005] An online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for a uranium purification process comprises: a sodium iodide crystal disposed in a shielding component; a photomultiplier tube coupled to the sodium iodide crystal; an electronic circuit disposed below the photomultiplier tube; a cable disposed below the electronic circuit; the cable passing through the shielding component; a support frame disposed on the shielding component; the support frame connected to the photomultiplier tube; a through hole formed in the sodium iodide crystal; a polytetrafluoroethylene pipe passing through the through hole; a solution inlet and a solution outlet at either end of the polytetrafluoroethylene pipe, both of which pass through the shielding component.

[0006] Flowing through the polytetrafluoroethylene pipe is dissolved diuranate, U3O8 or saturated organic phase solution after extraction. The gamma rays emitted by uranium-235 in the solution are detected by sodium iodide crystals, and the total uranium content is obtained based on the detection results.

[0007] The sodium iodide crystal and photomultiplier tube, as well as part of the polytetrafluoroethylene pipes, are shielded by the shielding components to eliminate the influence of the natural radioactive nuclides of uranium, thorium, radium and potassium in the external environment and the gamma rays generated by the large amount of uranium solution in the workplace on the measurement process.

[0008] When the solution flows through the sodium iodide crystal through the polytetrafluoroethylene tube, the gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the uranium solution in the through-hole can be detected by the sodium iodide crystal within a 4π solid angle, except in the direction of the opening. The gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the solution irradiate the sodium iodide crystal, and eventually generate excitation light on the sodium iodide crystal. The light then passes through the photomultiplier tube to generate an electrical signal, which is further transmitted to the external signal processing unit for amplitude analysis and identification, thereby obtaining the information we need and finally converting it into uranium concentration.

[0009] The polytetrafluoroethylene pipe is led out of the shielding component in a folded manner.

[0010] The beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are:

[0011] Using measurement 235 The uranium concentration is measured using the 185keV gamma energy peak area of ​​U. The specially designed sodium iodide crystal improves detection efficiency. This allows for automatic measurement of the uranium concentration in a solution without contaminating the solution being measured or generating additional waste, ensuring environmental protection. The measurement process is carried out in a closed system, with no radioactive radon gas released into the air, ensuring safety and environmental protection.

[0012] This detection device enables online high-concentration uranium analysis during the uranium purification process. It does not require the addition of reagents or the generation of wastewater, thus ensuring environmental friendliness. The device is used to monitor uranium concentration changes during the uranium purification process, facilitating unattended automatic measurement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device used in a uranium purification process;

[0014] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a sodium iodide crystal with through holes that can improve the efficiency of gamma detection in solution;

[0015] In the figure: 1. Shielding component; 2. Sodium iodide crystal; 3. Photomultiplier tube; 4. Polytetrafluoroethylene pipe; 5. Electronic circuit; 6. Cable; 7. Solution inlet; 8. Solution outlet; 9. Support frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0017] The detection device consists of a shielding component 1, a sodium iodide crystal 2 with a through hole, a photomultiplier tube 3 coupled to the sodium iodide crystal, a polytetrafluoroethylene pipe 4 passing through the through hole of the sodium iodide crystal, an electronic circuit 5 connected to the photomultiplier tube, and a cable 6 connected to the external processing circuit and power supply circuit, and a support frame 9 processed to stabilize the detection part of the entire photomultiplier tube. Figure 1 7 and 8 are the inlet and outlet of the solution to be tested.

[0018] A sodium iodide crystal 2 is arranged in the shielding component 1, a photomultiplier tube 3 is coupled and arranged below the sodium iodide crystal 2, an electronic circuit 5 is arranged below the photomultiplier tube 3, a cable 6 is arranged below the electronic circuit 5, the cable 6 passes through the shielding component 1, a support frame 9 is provided on the shielding component 1, the support frame 9 is connected to the photomultiplier tube 3, a through hole is opened on the sodium iodide crystal 2, a polytetrafluoroethylene pipe 4 passes through the through hole, and the two ends of the polytetrafluoroethylene pipe 4 are respectively a solution inlet 7 and a solution outlet 8, and the solution inlet 7 and the solution outlet 8 both pass through the shielding component 1.

[0019] The sampling line uses a polytetrafluoroethylene tube, which has the characteristics of high temperature resistance and high acid resistance. In order to obtain a higher γ detection efficiency under the condition of sampling a smaller solution, the structure of the sodium iodide crystal is specially designed. The solution to be tested passes through a corrosion-resistant polytetrafluoroethylene tube and flows through a sodium iodide crystal with a through hole in the middle. The solution is wrapped by the sodium iodide crystal, which greatly improves the detection efficiency of the sodium iodide crystal. Therefore, in this case, the amount of uranium solution to be tested is only 50 ml, which reduces the sampling volume. The specific structure of the sodium iodide crystal can be found in Figure 2 .

[0020] PTFE tube from Figure 2 The through hole shown in the figure passes through the tube, and the solution flowing through it is a solution of dissolved diuranate, U3O8 or a saturated organic phase after extraction. The gamma rays emitted by the uranium-235 in the solution are detected by sodium iodide crystals, and the total uranium content is obtained based on the detection results.

[0021] Specific working process:

[0022] The sodium iodide crystal 2, photomultiplier tube 3, and part of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tubing, shielded by the shielding component, eliminate the effects of natural radionuclides such as uranium, thorium, radium, and potassium in the external environment, as well as gamma rays generated by large amounts of uranium solution in the workplace, on the measurement process. After exiting the sodium iodide crystal, the PTFE tubing is not led directly to the outside of the shielding component, but is instead led out of the shielding component in a folded manner. See [Note: The following text appears to be unrelated and should likely be omitted.] Figure 1The advantages of this are: first, the probability of gamma rays outside the shielding component entering the sodium iodide crystal through the inlet and outlet of the solution is greatly reduced; second, because the pipeline passes through the outside of the sodium iodide crystal, the gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the solution also irradiate the sodium iodide crystal, further improving the detection efficiency of the sodium iodide.

[0023] When the solution flows through the sodium iodide crystal through the polytetrafluoroethylene pipe, the gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the uranium solution in the through hole can be detected by the sodium iodide crystal within a 4π solid angle except in the direction of the opening, so the detection efficiency of the sodium iodide crystal is very high. Figure 1 In the device, the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tubing is folded back and forth, passing outside the sodium iodide crystals. The gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the solution also irradiate the sodium iodide crystals, further improving detection efficiency. This allows for smaller volumes of solution to be used for measurement, further reducing the size of the detection device. The gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the solution irradiate the sodium iodide crystals, ultimately generating excitation light. This light is then transmitted through a photomultiplier tube to generate an electrical signal, which is then transmitted to the signal processing unit for amplitude analysis and discrimination, yielding the desired information and ultimately converting it into uranium concentration.

[0024] Since the pipe is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, which is resistant to high temperatures, corrosion, and contamination, and can be bent at small angles, the measured solution flows through the pipe without dead corners and is easy to clean. Therefore, this material is more suitable for the detection device.

[0025] This device is used for online high-concentration uranium analysis in a uranium purification research project in my country. During the measurement process, no reagents are added, no waste liquid is generated, and this is environmentally friendly. The device is used to monitor changes in uranium concentration during the uranium purification process, facilitating unattended automatic measurement.

[0026] This patent provides a high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device suitable for automatic analysis and measurement in uranium purification and hydrometallurgical processes. Through the special design of the sodium iodide crystal structure and the solution sampling pipeline, the sodium iodide crystal's detection efficiency for uranium-235 gamma rays in solution is improved. The required sampling volume is 50mL. The uranium concentration is measured by measuring the 185keV gamma energy peak area of ​​uranium-235, without the addition of any reagents and without generating waste liquid. The measurement process is carried out in a closed system, without the release of radioactive radon gas. This is safe, environmentally friendly, and facilitates unattended automatic measurement.

Claims

1. An online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for a uranium purification process, characterized by: A sodium iodide crystal is arranged in a shielding component, a photomultiplier tube is coupled and arranged below the sodium iodide crystal, an electronic circuit is arranged below the photomultiplier tube, a cable is arranged below the electronic circuit, the cable passes through the shielding component, a support frame is arranged on the shielding component, the support frame is connected to the photomultiplier tube, a through hole is opened on the sodium iodide crystal, a polytetrafluoroethylene pipe passes through the through hole, two ends of the polytetrafluoroethylene pipe are respectively a solution inlet and a solution outlet, and the solution inlet and the solution outlet both pass through the shielding component; dissolved diuranate, U3O8 or a saturated organic phase solution after extraction flows through the polytetrafluoroethylene pipe, gamma rays emitted by uranium-235 in the solution are detected by the sodium iodide crystal, and the total uranium content is obtained based on the detection result; the polytetrafluoroethylene pipe is led out of the shielding component in a folding manner; the inlet and outlet of the shielding component do not face the sodium iodide crystal.

2. The online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for uranium purification process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sodium iodide crystal and photomultiplier tube, as well as part of the polytetrafluoroethylene pipes, are shielded by the shielding components to eliminate the influence of the natural radioactive nuclides of uranium, thorium, radium and potassium in the external environment and the gamma rays generated by the large amount of uranium solution in the workplace on the measurement process.

3. The online high-concentration uranium analysis and detection device for uranium purification process according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the solution flows through the sodium iodide crystal through the polytetrafluoroethylene tube, the gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the uranium solution in the through-hole can be detected by the sodium iodide crystal within a 4π solid angle, except in the direction of the opening. The gamma rays generated by the uranium-235 in the solution irradiate the sodium iodide crystal, and eventually generate excitation light on the sodium iodide crystal. The light then passes through the photomultiplier tube to generate an electrical signal, which is further transmitted to the external signal processing unit for amplitude analysis and identification, thereby obtaining the information we need and finally converting it into uranium concentration.

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