Use of InSpector{sup TM} 1 1000 Instrument with LaBr{sub 3} for Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) Applications at the Westinghouse Hematite Decommissioning Project (HDP) - 13132

Conference · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013

OSTI ID:22224911

Pritchard, Megan ^[1]; Guido, Joe ^[2]

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1. Nuclear Safety Associates, P.O. Box 471488, Charlotte, NC 28247 (United States)
2. System One Services, 12 Federal St. Ste. 205, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 (United States)

The Westinghouse Hematite Decommissioning Project (HDP) is a former nuclear fuel cycle facility that is currently undergoing decommissioning. One aspect of the decommissioning scope is remediation of buried nuclear waste in unlined burial pits. The current Nuclear Criticality Safety program relies on application of criticality controls based on radiological setpoints from a 2 x 2 Sodium Iodide (NaI) detector. Because of the nature of the material buried (Low Enriched Uranium (LEU), depleted uranium, thorium, and radium) and the stringent threshold for application of criticality controls based on waste management (0.1 g {sup 235}U/L), a better method for {sup 235}U identification and quantification has been developed. This paper outlines the early stages of a quick, in-field nuclear material assay and {sup 235}U mass estimation process currently being deployed at HDP. Nuclear material initially classified such that NCS controls are necessary can be demonstrated not to require such controls and dispositioned as desired by project operations. Using Monte Carlo techniques and a high resolution Lanthanum Bromide (LaBr) detector with portable Multi-Channel Analyzer (MCA), a bounding {sup 235}U mass is assigned to basic geometries of nuclear material as it is excavated. The deployment of these methods and techniques has saved large amounts of time and money in the nuclear material remediation process. (authors)

• Research Organization: WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9-332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 22224911
• Report Number(s): INIS-US-13-WM-13132; TRN: US14V0351045866
• Resource Relation: Conference: WM2013: Waste Management Conference: International collaboration and continuous improvement, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 24-28 Feb 2013; Other Information: Country of input: France; 6 refs.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CONTROL
CRITICALITY
DECOMMISSIONING
DEPLETED URANIUM
ENRICHED URANIUM
HEMATITE
LANTHANUM BROMIDES
MONTE CARLO METHOD
MULTI-CHANNEL ANALYZERS
NAI DETECTORS
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REMEDIAL ACTION
SAFETY
SODIUM IODIDES
URANIUM 235
WASTE MANAGEMENT