Greatly improved transuranic waste assay accuracy using neutron signal imaging

Conference · Thu Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1991 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:5116946

Caldwell, J T; Bieri, J M; Kuckertz, T H; Newell, M R; Plettenberg, K B; Peterson, T A

Differential dieaway-based, passive-action neutron (PAN) assay systems have been used extensively for high-sensitivity bulk transuranic (TRU) waste assays for more than 10 years - at US Department of Energy sites, US commercial nuclear facilities, and internationally. In common with all nondestructive assay techniques applied to bulk TRU wastes (i.e., 208-{ell} drums or larger packages), matrix effects are the dominant source of assay error in PAN measurements. Even prudent use of properly carried out calibrations in close mockups of the actual waste drums does not solve this assay accuracy problem. It is easily demonstrated with seemingly innocuous waste forms such as combustibles or burnables (i.e., rags, paper, etc.) that measured passive or active assay responses may vary a factor of 2 or more from the drum center to its outer radius. A proper matrix correction can be made to TRU waste measurements only if one knows exactly where within the waste drum the neutron signals originate. The authors have developed what believed to be a satisfactory solution to this TRU waste measurement problem: an imaging PAN (IPAN) assay system that not only provides sensitive waste matrix identification but also provides passive and active neutron signal imaging.

• OSTI ID: 5116946
• Report Number(s): CONF-911107--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States), Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Vol. 64; ISSN TANSA; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101 -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
ACCURACY
ALGORITHMS
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
CALIBRATION
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
IMAGE PROCESSING
LEAST SQUARE FIT
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
MAXIMUM-LIKELIHOOD FIT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOASSAY
SPACE DEPENDENCE
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES