High fluence neutron source for nondestructive characterization of nuclear materials. 1997 mid-year progress report

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/13430· OSTI ID:13430

Pickrell, M M

'The author is addressing the need to measure nuclear wastes, residues, and spent fuel in order to process these for final disposition. For example, TRU wastes destined for the WIPP must satisfy extensive characterization criteria outlined in the Waste Acceptance Criteria, the Quality Assurance Program Plan, and the Performance Demonstration Plan. Similar requirements exist for spent fuel and residues. At present, no nondestructive assay instrumentation is capable of satisfying all of the PDP test cycles. One of the primary methods for waste assay is by active neutron intezrooation. The authors plan to improve the capability of all active neutron systems by providing a higher intensity neutron source (by about a factor of 1,000) for essentially the same cost, power, and space requirements as existing systems. This high intensity neutron source will be an electrostatically confined (IEC) plasma device. The IEC is a symmetric sphere that was originally developed in the 1950s as a possible fusion reactor. It operates as D-T neutron generator. Although it was not believed to scale to fusion reactor levels, these experiments demonstrated a neutron yield of 2 x 10 10 neutrons/second on table-top experiments that could be powered from ordinary laboratory circuits (1 kilowatt). Subsequently, the IEC physics has been extensively studied at the University of Illinois. The basis for scaling the output up to 1 x 10 11 n/s has been established. In addition, IEC devices have run for cumulative times approaching 10,000 hours. They have been operated in pulsed-and continuous mode.'

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Science and Risk Policy
• OSTI ID: 13430
• Report Number(s): EMSP-54751--97; ON: DE00013430
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHEMICAL WASTES
Chemical Wastes
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
High-Level Radioactive Wastes
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
Measuring Instruments
Measuring Methods
PROGRESS REPORT
Progress Report
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REMEDIAL ACTION
Radioactive Materials
Radioactive Wastes
Remedial Action
SPENT FUELS
Spent Fuels