Field test of a post-closure radiation monitor
- Babcock & Wilcox, Alliance, OH (United States)
- Department of Energy, Morgantown, WV (United States)
- FERMCO, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
The DOE is conducting remedial actions at many sites contaminated with radioactive materials. After closure of these sites, long-term subsurface monitoring is typically required by law. This monitoring is generally labor intensive and expensive using conventional sampling and analysis techniques. The U.S. Department of Energy`s Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) has contracted with Babcock and Wilcox to develop a Long-Term Post-Closure Radiation Monitoring System (LPRMS) to reduce these monitoring costs. The system designed in Phase I of this development program monitors gamma radiation using a subsurface cesium iodide scintillator coupled to above-ground detection electronics using optical waveguide. The radiation probe can be installed to depths up to 50 meters using cone penetrometer techniques, and requires no downhole electrical power. Multiplexing, data logging and analysis are performed at a central location. A prototype LPRMS probe was built, and B&W and FERMCO field tested this monitoring probe at the Fernald Environmental Management Project in the fall of 1994 with funding from the DOE`s Office of Technology Development (EM-50) through METC. The system was used measure soil and water with known uranium contamination levels, both in drums and in situ depths up to 3 meters. For comparison purposes measurements were also performed using a more conventional survey probe with a sodium iodide scintillator directly butt-coupled to detection electronics.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center, WV (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC21-92MC29103
- OSTI ID:
- 229569
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/METC--96/1021-Vol.2; CONF-9510108--Vol.2; ON: DE96000552
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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