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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Calibration Report for the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) Segmented Gamma Scan Assay System

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/806000· OSTI ID:806000
This document presents the results of the calibration of the Segmented Gamma Scan Assay System (SGSAS) at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP). The calibration was performed in July, 2000 to qualify the system for assay of residues cans from PFP which will be packaged into pipe overpack containers for shipment to WIPP. The system was calibrated using NIST traceable fission product sources and initial calibration verification runs were performed using the same sources. Validation measurements for WIPP QAOs and the safeguards organization also were performed using NIST traceable plutonium standards. Initial validation results showed a bias that varied with the overall gram loading of the can. The safeguards organization developed a data correction equation for the results based on the system performance using a number of plutonium standards initially with gram loadings ranging from 9.6 g up to approximately 88 g of weapons grade plutonium. Later validation work prompted configuration changes to turn on a reference pulser, which was implemented once ground loop problems were resolved. At this point the safeguards organization developed a second set of data correction factors to apply to the assay results based on updated validation measurements. This initial calibration applies to analysis results from the initial configuration that was used up to September 21 and a second configuration that turned on the reference pulser and an updated transmission calibration performed on September 21. This is valid since the same energy and efficiency calibration was used for both analysis configurations.
Research Organization:
FH (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) (US)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-96RL13200
OSTI ID:
806000
Report Number(s):
HNF-7331, Rev.0; EDT-631802
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English