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Direct fissile assay of highly enriched UF/sub 6/ using random self-interrogation and neutron coincidence response

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5584817
;
A new nondestructive method for direct assay of /sup 235/U mass contained in Model 5A uranium hexafluoride (UF/sub 6/) product storage cylinders has been successfully tested in the laboratory and under field conditions. The technique employs passive neutron self-interrogation and uses the ratio of coincidences-to-totals counts as a measure of bulk fissile mass. The accuracy of the method is 6.8% (1 sigma) based on field measurements of 44 Model 5A cylinders, 11 of which were either only partially filled or contained reactor return material. The cylinders contained UF/sub 6/ with enrichments from 5.96% to 97.6%. Count times were 3 to 6 min depending on /sup 235/U mass. Samples ranged from below 1 kg to over 16 kg of /sup 235/U. Because the method relies primarily on fast neutron self-interrogation, complete sampling of the UF/sub 6/ takes place. This feature alleviates inhomogeneity problems and offers increased assurance of the presence of stated amounts of bulk fissile material as compared with current verification methods.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
5584817
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-83-3266; CONF-831106-12; ON: DE84003780
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COINCIDENCE METHODS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
CYLINDERS
DETECTION
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
METALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRON DETECTION
NUCLEI
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOMETRIC ANALYSIS
URANIUM
URANIUM 235
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES