Isotopic assays of nuclear wastes using tomographic techniques

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:5999950

Camp, D C; Martz, H E; Koenig, Z M; Azevedo, S G ^[1]

---

1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

Disposal of the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) mixed wastes has become an important, visible, and expensive concern. Within DOE alone, there are over one million 55-gal drums of transuranic (TRU) wastes ({ge} 100 nCi/g net) stored or buried at six DOE sites. Disposal costs are several thousand dollars per drum for TRU compared with several hundred for low-level wastes (LLW); hence, a substantial cost reduction occurs even if only some of the 55-gal drums are classified as LLW (< 100 nCi/g net). To improve assay accuracy for all categories of radioactive wastes, the authors are coupling monoenergetic active (A) and passive (P) computerized tomography (CT) with gamma-ray spectrum analysis capabilities to develop a prototype, quantitative waste drum scanner that can accurately assay nuclear wastes in various sized containers. After the prototype is developed, tested, and evaluated, it is planned to engineer a more advanced version called IMPACT (Isotope Measurements by Passive and Active Computerized Tomography). After IMPACT is developed and deployed, it will reduce the need to open any drum in order to assay its contents, whether it is retrieved from temporary storage or from a burial ground.

• OSTI ID: 5999950
• Report Number(s): CONF-910603--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102 -- Chemical &amp; Spectral Procedures
ACCURACY
ACTINIDE ISO
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
GAMMA RADIOGRAPHY
GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HIGH-PURITY GE DETECTORS
INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEUTRON RADIOGRAPHY
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NUCLEI
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PRESSURIZATION
QUALITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REAL TIME SYSTEMS
SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
SENSITIVITY
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
TESTING
TOMOGRAPHY
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM 235
URANIUM ISOTOPES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
X-RAY RADIOGRAPHY
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES