WIPP alpha CAM fast alarm setpoints

Conference · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:10177893

Steinbruegge, K B; Clayton, S G; Merkling, T D

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a US Department of Energy (DOE) facility planned and built to demonstrate the safe long term storage of plutonium contaminated waste resulting from the nuclear weapons production activities of the United States. While these wastes are all packaged within sealed containers prior to shipment to the WIPP, the danger to human health from plutonium has necessitated extensive safety measures. State-of-the-art monitoring instrumentation has been installed at the WIPP to provide rapid warning of accident situations. The WIPP uses alpha particle CAMs to provide an alarm if significant concentrations of airborne transuranics are present. This paper documents the logic and approach used to determine a fast alarm set-point for the airborne alpha radiation CAMs in service at the WIPP alpha CAMs (Eberline corp. model Alpha-6A) have provisions for two high radiation alarms. These two alarms have been used as a single alarm level by setting them both at the same set points.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Carlsbad, NM (United States). Waste Isolation Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-86AL31950
• OSTI ID: 10177893
• Report Number(s): DOE/WIPP--92-009C; CONF-9207122--2; ON: DE93017926
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
054000
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ALARM SYSTEMS
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
DESIGN
HEALTH AND SAFETY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATION MONITORS
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WIPP