Autobatch: 1. system description for the automated batchwise isolation and study of short-lived fission products

A fully automated batchwise system (autobatch) for the chemical isolation of fission products has been developed. It is shown that such a system can have a data collection efficiency comparable to that of a continuous system for fission products with half lives down to a few seconds. Examples are given of the use of the autobatch chemistry system to study fission products in the greater than 100 s time regime (250 and 170 s 132Sbsup(m+g) and 150 s 133Sb), 10-100 s time regime (10.4 s 134Sb), and less than 10 s time regime (5.3 s 84As). (orig.)