Xenon-135, production

Radon reacts spontaneously at room temperature with many solid compounds that contain oxidizing cations, such as BrF2, IF, 02, and N2F (Stein, 1972, 1973, 1974 Stein and Hohorst, 1982). Xenon also reacts with a few compounds of this type which have very high oxidation potentials (Stein, 1973, 1974). The xenon products have been analyzed by Raman and mass spectrometric methods and shown to... 

For the reactor to be at an equilibrium Xenon condition, the Xenon production rate must be ... 

Power transients can be treated startups and shutdowns. As shown in Figure 6 power, liKe a startup, causes a dip in xenon burnout and a gradual increase up to a higher increased iodine and direct xenon production decrease causes a xenon peak due to the exces reduced burnout, For a power increase, true e reestablished after 48 hours for a power dec approximately 72 hours. However, practical e reestablished in a much shorter time if the c very small. Exact time values are difficult... 

Del y for Dec y. Nuclear power plants generate radioactive xenon and krypton as products of the fission reactions. Although these products ate trapped inside the fuel elements, portions can leak out into the coolant (through fuel cladding defects) and can be released to the atmosphere with other gases through an air ejector at the main condenser. 

The latest of three ethylene recovery plants was started in 1991. Sasol sold almost 300,000 t of ethylene in 1992. Sasol also produces polypropylene at Secunda from propylene produced at Sasol Two. In 1992 Sasol started constmction of a linear alpha olefin plant at Secunda to be completed in 1994 (40). Initial production is expected to be 100,000 t/yr pentene and hexene. Sasol also has a project under constmction to extract and purify krypton and xenon from the air separation plants at Sasol Two. Other potential new products under consideration at Sasol are acrylonitrile, acetic acid, acetates, and alkylamines. 

K [14881-07-3], Rb [72151 -96-3], and Cs [72138-72-8]), are prepared by reaction of elemental fluorine, chlorine trifluoride, or xenon difluoride and a mixture of nickel fluoride and alkaH metal fluorides or other metal haHdes (16,17). If the fluorination is carried out using mixed fluorides, a lower temperature can be used, yields are quantitative, and the final products are of high purity. Bis(tetrafluoroammonium) hexafluoronickelate [6310540-8], (NE 2N iF6> prepared from Cs2NiF3 and NE SbE by a metathesis in anhydrous HE, is also known (18). 

Argon-40 [7440-37-1] is created by the decay of potassium-40. The various isotopes of radon, all having short half-Hves, are formed by the radioactive decay of radium, actinium, and thorium. Krypton and xenon are products of uranium and plutonium fission, and appreciable quantities of both are evolved during the reprocessing of spent fuel elements from nuclear reactors (qv) (see Radioactive tracers). 

Krypton and Xenon from Huclear Power Plants. Both xenon and krypton are products of the fission of uranium and plutonium. These gases are present in the spent fuel rods from nuclear power plants in the ratio 1 Kr 4 Xe. Recovered krypton contains ca 6% of the radioactive isotope Kr-85, with a 10.7 year half-life, but all radioactive xenon isotopes have short half-Hves. 

The U.S. production of argon is summarized in Table 5. Because argon is a by-product of air separation, its production is ca 1% that of air feed. Total 1988 United States consumption of neon, krypton, and xenon was 36,400, 6,800, and 1,200 m, respectively (88). 

The only example of xenon in a fractional oxidation state, +, is the bright emerald green paramagnetic dixenon cation, Xe [12185-20-5]. Mixtures of xenon and fluorine gases react spontaneously with tiquid antimony pentafluoride in the dark to form solutions of XeF+ Sb2 F, in which Xe is formed as an iatermediate product that is subsequently oxidized by fluorine to the XeF+ cation (83). Spectroscopic studies have shown that xenon is oxidized at room temperature by solutions of XeF+ ia SbF solvent to give the XE cation (84). 

Off-Gas Treatment. Before the advent of the shear, the gases released from the spent fuel were mixed with the entire dissolver off-gas flow. Newer shear designs contain the fission gases and provide the opportunity for more efficient treatment. The gaseous fission products krypton and xenon are chemically inert and are released into the off-gas system as soon as the fuel cladding is breached. Efficient recovery of these isotopes requires capture at the point of release, before dilution with large quantities of air. Two processes have been developed, a cryogenic distillation and a Freon absorption. 

Account must be taken in design and operation of the requirements for the production and consumption of xenon-135 [14995-12-17, Xe, the daughter of iodine-135 [14834-68-5] Xenon-135 has an enormous thermal neutron cross section, around 2.7 x 10 cm (2.7 x 10 bams). Its reactivity effect is constant when a reactor is operating steadily, but if the reactor shuts down and the neutron flux is reduced, xenon-135 builds up and may prevent immediate restart of the reactor. 

The Model 412 PWR uses several control mechanisms. The first is the control cluster, consisting of a set of 25 hafnium metal rods coimected by a spider and inserted in the vacant spaces of 53 of the fuel assembhes (see Fig. 6). The clusters can be moved up and down, or released to shut down the reactor quickly. The rods are also used to (/) provide positive reactivity for the startup of the reactor from cold conditions, (2) make adjustments in power that fit the load demand on the system, (J) help shape the core power distribution to assure favorable fuel consumption and avoid hot spots on fuel cladding, and (4) compensate for the production and consumption of the strongly neutron-absorbing fission product xenon-135. Other PWRs use an alloy of cadmium, indium, and silver, all strong neutron absorbers, as control material. 

Carboxylic acids react with xenon difluoride to produce unstable xenon esters The esters decarboxylate to produce free radical intermediates, which undergo fluonnation or reaction with the solvent system Thus aliphatic acids decarboxylate to produce mainly fluoroalkanes or products from abstraction of hydrogen from the solvent Perfluoro acids decarboxylate in the presence of aromatic substrates to give perfluoroalkyl aromatics Aromatic and vinylic acids do not decarboxylate [91] (equation 51)... 

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