Confirming criticality safety of TRU waste with neutron measurements and risk analyses
The criticality safety of {sup 239}Pu in 55-gallon drums stored in TRU waste containers (culverts) is confirmed using NDA neutron measurements and risk analyses. The neutron measurements yield a {sup 239}Pu mass and k{sub eff} for a culvert, which contains up to 14 drums. Conservative probabilistic risk analyses were developed for both drums and culverts. Overall {sup 239}Pu mass estimates are less than a calculated safety limit of 2800 g per culvert. The largest measured k{sub eff} is 0.904. The largest probability for a critical drum is 6.9 {times} 10{sup {minus}8} and that for a culvert is 1.72 {times} 10{sup {minus}7}. All examined suspect culverts, totaling 118 in number, are appraised as safe based on these observations.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 5565872
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-90-357-Rev.1; CONF-920308-13-Rev.1; ON: DE92009410
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Advances in reactor physics, Charleston, SC (United States), 8-11 Mar 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
CRITICALITY
CONTAINERS
NEUTRON DETECTION
PLUTONIUM 239
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
STORAGE FACILITIES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
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HEAVY NUCLEI
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PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
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SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
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US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
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054000* - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety
052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management