Abteilung Hotlabor (AHL)

AHL Hero

The PSI Hot Laboratory is the only Swiss laboratory authorised to handle large quantities of radioactive materials, including commercial and experimental nuclear fuels.

Die Kernanlage Hotlabor (HL) des PSI wird vom der Abteilung Hotlabor (AHL) betrieben, welche als unabhängige Organisationseinheit dem Bereich Nukleare Energie und Sicherheit (NES) zugeordnet ist.

Das PSI Hotlabor ist das einzige Schweizer Labor, das von den Schweizer Aufsichtsbehörden für den Umgang mit großen Mengen radioaktiver Stoffe einschließlich kommerzieller und experimenteller Kernbrennstoffe zugelassen ist.

Four treatment stages of the sample. The test assembly of Syntcrud powder + filter+ foil in a zirconium crucible vessel before, during and after the pre-fusion burning step and fully dissolved sample in acid after flux-fusion with Na2O2 + NaCO3.

Forensics: Quantitative tracing of Silicon in CRUD

Chalk River Unidentified Deposits (CRUD) are dissolved and suspended solids, product of the corrosion of structural elements in water circuits of nuclear reactors.  

The chemical composition of CRUD is variable as it depends on the composition of the reactor’s structural material, as well as the types of refueling cycles.  Recent internal investigations have found unexpected but significant Si-amount in CRUD. The chemical composition of CRUD holds key information for an improved understanding of CRUD formation and possible impact in fuel reliability and contamination prevention.

The standard analytical methods available in the hot laboratory did not allow an easy quantitative determination of the Si-amount in CRUD. A new innovative procedure has been developed and tested with synthetic CRUD name Syntcrud.

The adapted flex-fusion digestion method presented here is able to provide reliable concentrations of several elements within CRUD, including Si, which was not possible in methods used previously for ICPMS measurement.