HYDROGEN ANALYZER FOR URANIUM DIOXIDE FUEL PELLETS Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: determining hydrogen content in uranium dioxide pellets. SUBSTANCE: hydrogen analyzer has gas unit, hydrogen afterburner, bypass pipe mounted in parallel with hydrogen afterburner, coulometering transducer, current integrator, and power supply. Gas unit incorporates molybdenum evaporator with loading device and thermocouple which is placed in electric furnace provided with current ducts and placed, in its turn, in helium-filled chamber. Hydrogen afterburner functions to oxidize hydrogen to water state and the latter, together with water released from pellets, is disintegrated in coulometering transducer by electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen thereby enabling determination of total content of hydrogen; molybdenum evaporator functions to prevent contact between heating element and parts under check; program-controlled voltage regulator provides for setting desired heating temperature at specified rate; bypass pipe makes it possible to separately determine amount of free hydrogen and water. EFFECT: simplified design and accuracy of results obtained. 5 cl, 2 dwg