Modeling of Pyroprocessing Hot Cell for Process Monitoring Evaluation

Technical Report · Mon Sep 23 00:00:00 EDT 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1566095· OSTI ID:1566095

Lafreniere, Philip Leo ^[1]; Tutt, James Robert  ^[1]; Fugate, Michael Lynn  ^[1]; Key, Brian P.  ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

In this report, we examine studies undertaken to determine the applicability of applying measurements with a neutron counter within a pyroprocessing hot cell. The studies focus on the modeling of the hot cell and neutron counter in Monte Carlo N- Particle Code (MCNP) to determine expected radiation effects and applicability of neutron counters. The neutron counter of focus was the High Dose Neutron Detector (HDND) developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). We studied the HDND to determine what would be the detector response under normal background conditions with operating process equipment as well as the background’s potential effect on counting applications involving a U/TRU ingot produced by the pyroprocessing electrorefiner. To perform this task, we were required to develop models of the pyroprocessing process cell and unit operations and generate source terms for various different times in the process. The data for the pyroprocessing materials came from SNL’s Safeguards and Security Process Model (SSPM) as part of MPACT’s advanced integration mission. This report will discuss the development of the pyroprocessing process cell and unit operations models in MCNP as well as various simulations to determine the applicability of the HDND for process monitoring efforts in the hot cell.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1566095
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-19-29556
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English