WDC - Advanced system for characterization of {alpha}-bearing waste in 200 l and 400 l drums: performances and lessons learned from the first industrial measurement campaigns
- TECNUBEL, Gravenstraat 77, B 2480 Dessel (Belgium)
- BELGONUCLEAIRE, Europalaan 20, B 2480 Dessel (Belgium)
The Waste Drum Characterization installation was originally developed for the assay of alpha-bearing waste in standard 200 1 (55 gallons) drums during the dismantling operations of the Siemens mixed-oxide (MOX) facility in Hanau (Germany). That installation was validated and qualified by the German authorities, its main performances being: - Counting efficiency for coincident neutrons: approx. 1%; Lowest Limit of Detection (LLD): 75 mg {sup 240}Pu{sub eq}; Pu content per drum: up to 100 g tot. (35 g {sup 240}Pu{sub eq}) - Measurement duration: approx. 20 minutes. The success of this system, a passive neutron coincidence counter combined with a high resolution gamma spectrometer, led to the radiological characterization and qualification of about 1,700 drums during the period 2001 - 2004. In 2005, after completion of the dismantling operations of the Siemens MOX facility, Tecnubel took over the WDC installation which could be used in the frame of the future dismantling of the Belgonucleaire's MOX plant in Dessel (Belgium), which can be comparable to the Siemen's one. This second (and new) life for the WDC means that it must be rigorously retested and validated against the Belgian authorities requirements. Furthermore, and additionally to the future use in the Belgonucleaire's facility, Tecnubel was faced with new challenges, namely: Assay of 400 l drums together with the 200 l packages; Determination of the real LLD taking into account the background in different Belgian nuclear facilities, the determination of a value of {approx}5 mg {sup 240}Pu{sub eq} being an objective; - Assay of mixed alpha/beta-gamma wastes; Transportability of the WDC from one plant to another; Assistance to different nuclear operators for the licensing of the WDC for their own waste types. This paper describes the installation itself and its performances, presents the difficulties encountered during the new challenge and the results of the performed revalidation tests; it gives the perspectives and objectives on short time as well. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Three Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990 (United States); Technological Institute of the Royal Flemish Society of Engineers (TI-K VIV), Het Ingenieurshuis, Desguinlei 214, 2018 Antwerp (Belgium); Belgian Nuclear Society (BNS) - ASBL-VZW, c/o SCK-CEN, Avenue Hermann Debrouxlaan, 40 - B-1160 Brussels (Belgium)
- OSTI ID:
- 21156267
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICEM'07: 11. International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management, Bruges (Belgium), 2-6 Sep 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; Proceedings may be ordered from ASME Order Department, 22 Law Drive, P.O. Box 2300, Fairfield, NJ 07007-2300 (United States)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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