Evaluation of an integrated holdup measurement system using the GGH formalism with the M{sup 3}CA

Conference · Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:119966

Russo, P A; Smith, H A; Sprinkle, Jr, J K; Bjork, C W; Sheppard, G A ^[1]; Smith, S E ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, TN (United States)

Nuclear facilities need portable, automated tools based on gamma-ray spectroscopy to perform plantwide assays of special nuclear materials (SNM) deposited as holdup in processing equipment. These assays satisfy such nuclear material control functions as obtaining or verifying SNM inventory quantities, assuring safe operating conditions, and quantifying SNM for decontamination and decommissioning. A new, integrated holdup measurement system designed to meet these requirements has been evaluated quantitatively for holdup assays. The hardware for the integrated holdup measurement system consists of a compact gamma-ray detector with collimation and shielding, a self-contained portable gamma-ray spectroscopy instrument, and a palm-size programmable control and data-storage unit. The application software, called HMSII (Holdup Measurement System II) masks the sophistication of the hardware and data analysis with a simple user interface. The heart of the integrated holdup measurement system is the generalized-geometry holdup (GGH) calibration and analysis formalism. The GGH formalism is based on the simplifying assumptions that each of hundreds of holdup deposit geometries in the facility can be interpreted as one of three simple geometric models (point, line, or area) to reduce the calibration and analysis effort to manageable proportions. Results obtained over a 4-yr period will be presented. Because of the reproducibility of setup and data treatment under HMSII automation, it is straightforward to repeat the assays of static equipment over extended periods of time with multiple users. This new integrated measurement system improves the precision and reliability of holdup measurements.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 119966
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-95-3321; CONF-950923-13; ON: DE96001376; TRN: 95:024430
• Resource Relation: Conference: 5. international conference on facility-safeguards interface, Jackson Hole, WY (United States), 24-30 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
GAMMA SPECTROMETERS
EVALUATION
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
SAFETY ANALYSIS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
DECOMMISSIONING
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOASSAY
EQUIPMENT
INVENTORIES
H CODES
DEPOSITION
PROCESS CONTROL
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
GAMMA DETECTION