Thermo Scientific URANUSMass Spectrometer for Uranium

Hexafluoride Analysis

Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific

m a s s s p e c t r o m e t r y

High precision and fully computer controlled isotope ratiomeasurement of UraniumHexafluoride.

Robust molecular beam ionsource for up times exceeding1500 hours of UF6 inflow.

URANUSMass Spectrometer for Uranium Hexafluoride Analysis

Thermo Scientific U

RAN

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Mass Spectrom

eter for U

ranium H

exafluoride Analysis

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Design Considerations

Uranium hexafluoride is the gaseous working medium used in procedures to enrich the fissionable 235U isotope by diffusion, jet, laser orcentrifuge processes on an industrial scale.

This highly active gas must be handled withgreat care to protect the operators and to avoiddamage to the instruments involved. All the modules as well as the safety devices of theThermo Scientific URANUS mass spectrometercomply with these demands.

URANUS Mass Spectrometer Characteristics

< 0.02% accuracy for 235U / 238U - ratio< 0.02% external precision for 235U / 238U - ratio< 1 mg/h UF6 – consumption

• Accuracy• Precision• Reliability

Accuracy3

High PerformanceThe Thermo Scientific URANUS mass spectrometer system sets the new industrystandard for the reliable day-to-day isotopicanalysis of uranium hexafluoride with highest precision. The high performance isbeneficial for the evaluation of raw materials (“feed”), control of “products”with enriched 235U content and control ofwaste materials (“tails”) depleted in 235U.

These isotopic analyses may be appliedon-line to process streams as well as tomanually acquired “pipette” samples. Theymay even occur in the development ofenrichment processes to measure the verysmall changes of isotope ratios by singleprocess elements, or in the establishment ofnew isotope standard materials by measuring a new standard against an oldstandard at highest precision.

The URANUS mass spectrometer system meets in all its modules the specialdemands of the uranium hexafluoride working medium. It provides the highestprecision isotope ratio determination whilesatisfying the industrial standards for reliability, safety and operation time.

The URANUS Mass Spectrometer sets the new industry standard for reliability, safety and operation time

Thermo Scientific U

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Mass Spectrom

eter for U

ranium H

exafluoride Analysis

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History of Uranium HexafluorideIsotopic AnalysisThe URANUS mass spectrometer systemfully utilizes the very extensive expertise inthis highly specialized field of analyticalmass spectrometry.

More than 70 MAT mass spectrometersfor uranium hexafluoride isotopic analysishave been installed all over the world, inlaboratories as well as in nuclear fuelenrichment plants.

There has been a continuing implemen-tation of application experience and designimprovements throughout these years,including:• Improvements for the safe handling of the

highly active sample gas UF6.

• Development of the highly precise multi-collector sample/reference measurementof major and minor uranium isotope abun-dances.

• Extension of the MS isotope analyzer´soperating times with UF6 inflow.

• Adaptation to various sample conditions,at low and high pressure.

• Automatic control of sample and reference selection/introduction, measurement, data acquisition and data evaluation.

The development of modern nuclearfuel enrichment processes as well as thecontrol of enrichment plants utilizing thesemodern processes were accompanied byuranium hexafluoride mass spectrometermodels.

The URANUS Mass Spectrometer analytical performance is the result of vast experience in uranium hexafluoride isotopic analysis

Development of UraniumHexafluoride Mass

Spectrometer Models

CH4-UF 1962 - 1967

CH5-UF 1967 - 1973

UF5 1967 - 1971

MAT 511 1971 - 1978

MAT 250 UF 1979 - 1982

MAT 281 1985 - 2004

5

Features

• High precision and fully computer-controlled isotope ratio determination ofuranium hexafluoride.

• Choice of flexible inlet systems for computer-controlled sample introductionfrom reservoirs and process lines.

• Magnetic ion separating system employing stigmatic focusing for high ion transmission and enhanced mass dispersion.

• Molecular beam ion source for up timesexceeding 1500 hours of UF6 inflow.

• Cryo-pumped molecular beam ion sourceregion for fast removal of superfluoussample material, providing an extremelylow memory factor.

• Standard quadruple Faraday collector,with deep bucket design, completelyshielded for simultaneous determinationof 234U and 236U minor isotope abundanceswith the main isotope measurement.

• The system is computer-controlled to perform automated and unattended sample selection and sample introduction, analyzer control and datacollection, data evaluation and data printout, utilizing a software packagestructured for flexibility of analytical,monitoring and maintenance procedures.

• Secondary Electron Multiplier system(SEM) for analysis of trace componentsby ion counting.

Sample Inlet

Inlet System

• Individual batches for the intermediatestorages of sample and standard material, minimizing the consumption ofsuch very valuable material through themeasurement cycle.

• For UF6 sample pressures between 0.65 and 200 mbar.

• Pneumatically operated valves with KEL-Fgaskets ensuring leak rates below 10-10 mbar L/s, even with more than100,000 switch cycles.

• Turbomolecular pumping for fast samplechange and low inlet system memory.

• Special cold traps to trap surplus samplematerial, safety devices to avoid anyrelease of uranium hexafluoride to atmosphere.

More flexibility in analytical, monitoring and maintenance procedures

Thermo Scientific U

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Mass Spectrom

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exafluoride Analysis

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Pressure Transducer

• Defined sample inlet pressure.• Set- and permanent read out by the

Thermo Scientific Isodat software.• Inlet pressure as method parameter in

automated sequences.• For sensitivity check by evaluating

the ratio of ion current versus samplepressure.

Molecular Inlet and Open Ion Source

• Includes one cryo trap for the inlet jetenvironment and another cryo trap to condense all non-ionized sample material.

• Focuses both the UF6 molecular beam andthe electron beam with very high efficien-cy to avoid any source contamination.

• Handles the UF6 molecules at very lowthermal excitation to avoid distortion ofthe mass spectral base line bymetastable ion “continuum”.

• Achieves very high sensitivity at low sample consumption, another prerequisitefor a low memory/long time operation.

• Provides specially designed filament andultra-clean crossbeam operation for uptimes exceeding 1500 hours of UF6 inflow.

Vacuum System

• Analyzer system evacuated with ion getter pumps providing a complete separation to atmosphere.

• A separating valve between the ionsource region and the analyzer providessource maintenance while the analyzersection remains pumping.

• Turbomolecular pumps at the inlet systemfor initial analyzer pump-down.

• All vacuum functions are controlled by anintegral logic circuitry to be failsafe.

Very high sensitivity at low sample consumption

Flexibility7

AnalyzerThe analyzer of the URANUS mass spectrometer is based on theunique ion optics of the Thermo Scientific TRITON thermal ionisa-tion MS, proven in more than 150 installations worldwide.

Ion OpticsThe unique cup configuration of the URANUS mass spectrometer isespecially beneficial for UF6 isotope ratio analysis. The large massdispersion of 810 mm is based on an ion optical magnification ofabout a factor of 2, providing generous space for the novel collectorarray. This has the additional advantage of increasing the focaldepth and cup performance.

High Performance Faraday CupsThe Faraday cups are the largest ever produced for a commercialmulticollector. They are machined from solid carbon to guaranteeuniform response, high linearity, low noise and long lifetime. TheFaraday cups are designed to completely eliminate the need for cupfactors. The effect of ion optical magnification on cup performanceis depicted in the graph.

With increasing ion optical magnification the divergence anglesof the ion beams are reduced and the dispersion is increased. As aresult, cups can be wider and deeper. Scattered particles releasedat the cup’s side walls by the incoming ion beams are less likely toescape and do not alter the “true” ion current.

The URANUS is a completely newly designed mass spectrometer dedicated for high precision gas isotope ratio measurements with unique molecular beam inlet technique

Thermo Scientific U

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The AmplifierEach Faraday cup is connected to a currentamplifier. The amplifier signal is digitized by a high linearity voltage to frequency converter with an equivalent digital resolution of 22 bit. This ensures sub-ppmdigital resolution of all measured signalsindependent of the actual signal intensity.The amplifiers are mounted in a doublyshielded, evacuated and thermostated housing with a temperature stability of ± 0.01 °C.

The dynamic range of the currentamplifiers is extended to 50 V in positive ion

detection mode. The extended dynamicrange supports the measurement of largeisotope ratios, because it directly leads toan improved signal to noise ratio for theminor isotopes.

SEM SystemA Secondary Electron Multiplier (SEM) withan ion counting detector is optionally available. The SEM system allows thedetermination of the uranium 233 isotopeand trace impurities of UF6 samples withhighest precision.

Precision9

Thermo Scientific U

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SoftwareThe Thermo Scientific Isodat software suite is optimized for therequirements of routine analysis, providing the ease of use for basicoperation as well as the flexibility for advanced experiments. Theintuitive user interface provides full URANUS system control andcomprises all tools for data acquisition and evaluation. The Isodatsoftware is an integral part of the system architecture enabling theanalytical power and flexibility of the URANUS mass spectrometer.

System controlAll aspects of the mass spectrometer are controlled by software,including ion generation, mass separation and ion detection. Controlof the ion source allows manual tuning, auto tuning, as well as storage and retrieval of ion source parameters. System configura-tions can be easily defined. Different configurations representingdifferent analytical setups can be stored and retrieved.

AutomationThe system is designed to fully automatically execute pre-definedprocedures and run sequences of analyses, including customizedreporting.

Open ArchitectureThe Isodat Script Language (ISL) is the tool giving the expert user full access to the mass spectrometer, the inlet systems andadditional user-supplied devices. Scripts can be developed for customized applications. The export of all data is extremely flexibleand can be easily customized.

Data Evaluation and DisplayThe Isodat software provides a comprehensive set of customizabledata evaluation routines. Standard report forms are provided according to the application. In addition, reports can be easily customized in the Isodat software's unique Result Workshop.

Isodat is the modern and well proven software suite for isotope ratio analysis

Isodat Software

• Full control of inlet system• Full control of analyzer and data

acquisition including acquisitionsequences

• Reliable isotope ratio calculation• Sample/standard comparison • Report generation• Flexible Instrument Script

Language (ISL) for customizedmethod development

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Application

Abundance sensitivity of mass 333 to mass 331 of a UF6 sample

Application ResultsThe following measurements were carried out with the SingleStandard Method. The mean values resulting from ten consecutiveSample (unknown) and Standard (known) measurements are shown.

External precision of enriched Uranium

Sample: 350 M (enriched Uranium)Standard: IRM 022 (natural Uranium)

Run # 235U/238U - Ratio

1 0.01014190

2 0.01014080

3 0.01014220

4 0.01014180

5 0.01014140

6 0.01014090

7 0.01014170

8 0.01014150

9 0.01014240

10 0.01014140

Average 0.01014160

Standard deviation 0.00000051

External precision (%) 0.00504927

Certified value 0.0101419

Accuracy (%) 0.00295803

Analytical Specifications

Accuracy < 0.02% for the ratio of 235U/238U of natural Uranium related to a standard of known isotopic composition

Precision < 0.01% (1 σ) for the ratio of 235U/238U of natural Uranium

Abundance sensitivity < 1 x 10-5 specified as contribution of mass 333 (238U) to mass 331 (236U)

UF6 Consumption < 1 mg/h at an ion current of 6 x 10-10 A of mass 333 (238U)

Memory Factor < 1.003 specified as M = (α - 1)true / (α - 1)measured

Standard Enrichment Range ± 50% of the 235U proportion of the sample to be measured

Analysis Time < 10 minutes for a sample and standard measurement including all calibration, evacuation and inlet times

Sample Pressure Range 0.05 - 200 mbar UF6 pressure, measured at the sample connection of inlet system

Sample Temperature 18 - 30 °C (e. g. 30 °C creates an UF6 vapour pressure of 200 mbar)

Ion Source Operating Time > 1500 hrs of UF6 influx

Reliability

URANUS Mass Spectrometer for Uranium Hexafluoride Analysis

BR30092_E 10/10C

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URANUS Mass Spectrometer System Installation Requirements

Power Nominal voltage 230/400 V ± 10%, 50 or 60 Hz AC, approx. 11 kVA. Three-phase 5-wire-system in ‘Y’ configuration (neutral wire must be connected to earth). Following the regulations in Germany, Thermo Fisher Scientific recommends to fuse each phase with 16 Amps. Alternatively, all three phases can be connected to a 1 x 32 A x 230 V single phase power supply. This may be useful in case of connecting the instrument to a UPS unit. Contact your local Thermo Scientific office for more information.

Compressed Air 350 - 500 kPa (50 - 75 psi) for pneumatic valve operation.

Environment Operating environment must be 18 - 25 °C, relative humidity 20 - 70%, non condensing. Temperature stability better than 2 °C per hour.

Space Requirements Recommended room dimensions: min. 4500 x 4000 mm.

For further details refer to the detailed pre-installation requirement manual.

URANUS Mass Spectrometer Footprint and Dimensions (in mm)