Calorimetric control of the plutonium contents of fast fuel elements during different stages in their manufacture

The utilization of calorimetric methods to determine plutonium in plutonium-base nuclear fuels enables a rapid nondestructive control to be obtained for the various stages of manufacture. The apparatus described enables a control of the contents of between plus or minus 0.5 and 1% (depending on the size of the products examined and the quality of the calibration) to be achieved. The measurement time can vary between two and six hours, depending on the apparatus used. (FR)