Technical plan for the development of an assay system for the INEL stored TRU waste

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5440830

Hinckley, J P

The purpose of the Stored Waste Experimental Pilot Plant (SWEPP) will be to certify that the stored waste is in compliance with the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC), which have been specified by the WIPP. In order to certify the waste, the containers will be weighed, examined by x-ray and (possibly) neutron radiography to identify acceptable waste forms, checked to see that the container is still sound by ultrasonic or eddy current techniques, and assayed to determine the amount of fissile material in the container and its thermal power density. Waste shown by these tests to be in compliance with the WAC will be labeled accordingly and shipped to the WIPP. The proposed waste assay development is an adaptation of existing, proven, techniques to determine the fissile inventory of TRU waste containers. The passive assay capabilities of the system have already been demonstrated with 1.2 x 1.2 x 2.4 m crates. The active Differential Die-Away Technique (DDT) capabilities have been demonstrated with 55-gallon barrels but not with crates. Consequently the only major technological uncertainties in the waste assay development program center around the effect on system assay time and accuracy of scaling the DDT barrel counter up to a counter which will handle INEL boxes, bins, and drums. These uncertainties will be resolved by experimental and development work performed in FY 1982. Further development and modifications to an operating prototype system will be accomplished during FY 1983-1984 so that a fully operational DDT crate assay system will be available to the SWEPP in FY 1985.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 5440830
• Report Number(s): EGG-WM-5792; ON: DE82012826; TRN: 82-013077
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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