Method and apparatus for measuring uranium isotope enrichment

摘要

A method and apparatus for measuring uranium isotope enrichment in a sample uranium solution. In the invention, the concentration of uranium in the uranium solution is determined by K-edge densitometry. The quantity of uranium-235 in the uranium solution is then measured by detecting the gamma rays emitted from the uranium-235 by using a high-purity germanium detector. A value of the uranium isotope enrichment is obtained from the ratio of the quantity of uranium-235 in the uranium solution to the uranium concentration. The invention is designed to provide the improved construction of a radiation source suitable for the K-edge densitometry and to provide the accurate measurements by correcting any error in the measured quantity of uranium-235 in the uranium solution due to the self-absorption of the gamma rays emitted from the uranium-235.