Estimation of ²⁴⁰Pu Mass in a Waste Tank Using Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Radioactive Xenon Isotopes from Spontaneous Fission

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1228350· OSTI ID:1228350

Bowyer, Ted W. ^[1]; Gesh, Christopher J. ^[1]; Haas, Derek A. ^[1]; Hayes, James C. ^[1]; Mahoney, Lenna A. ^[1]; Meacham, Joseph E. ^[1]; Mendoza, Donaldo P. ^[1]; Olsen, Khris B. ^[1]; Prinke, Amanda M. ^[1]; Reid, Bruce D. ^[1]; Woods, Vincent T. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

We report on a technique to detect and quantify the amount of ²⁴⁰Pu in a large tank used to store nuclear waste from plutonium production at the Hanford nuclear site. While the contents of this waste tank are known from previous grab sample measurements, our technique could allow for determination of the amount of ²⁴⁰Pu in the tank without costly sample retrieval and analysis of this highly radioactive material. This technique makes an assumption, which was confirmed, that ²⁴⁰Pu dominates the spontaneous fissions occurring in the tank.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1228350
• Report Number(s): PNNL-24355; NN4011020; TRN: US1600025
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PLUTONIUM 240
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SPONTANEOUS FISSION
TANKS
XENON ISOTOPES
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DETECTION
MASS
COST
ISOTOPE RATIO
RESIDENCE HALF-TIME