Non-destructive analysis of uranium and/or plutonium using X-ray (K or L band) fluorescence excited by sealed sources or X-ray tubes

Uranium, plutonium and, more generally, high atomic number elements can be analyzed by excitation of their K or L X-rays by sealed sources or by X-ray tubes. The Radionuclides Application Branch of the CEA Ionizing Radiation Metrology and Applications Department has designed several industrial prototypes for non-destructive analysis of actinides at different nuclear fuel cycle stages in various matrices: e.g., ores, reprocessing solutions, mixed oxide fuel pellets. These prototypes are under development to improve their performances and to adapt them to on-line analysis. In this paper, we describe the general principles and the instrumentation associated with these systems. ((orig.))