Evaluation of the Integrated Holdup Measurement System with the M3(superscript 3)CA for Assay of Uranium and Plutonium Holdup

Technical Report · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/9449· OSTI ID:9449

Russo, P A ^[1]; Sprinkle, Jr, J K; Bjork, C W; McKown, T O; Sheppard, G A; Smith, S E; Harris, J F

---

1. LANL

Uranium and plutonium holdup that has been simulated by insertion of a variety of sealed, reference samples into pipes, ducts, and other hardware has been measured over a period of six years with an integrated holdup measurement system. The result is a systematic evaluation of the generalized-geometry holdup (GGH) formalism applied to portable gamma-ray holdup measurements with low-resolution detectors. The extended exercise was carried out both with and without automation of the measurements, data reduction/analysis, and holdup evaluation. Automation was accomplished by the software Version 2 for the Holdup Measurement System (HMS2). The purpose of the exercise was to establish reliable benchmarks for GGH measurements and to document the advantages of the automation with actual measurement results. The results presented below demonstrate a factor of 2 improvement in the quantitative reliability of the holdup assay automated by HMS2. The automated results are otherwise identical to the manual measurements. These and similar exercises also show that automation can decrease by a factor of 20 or more the time required to execute a holdup measurement campaign and obtain the holdup quantities for the facility using an integrated holdup measurement system, and that only one person, rather than two, is required to perform the measurements. Enhanced implementation of the integrated holdup measurement system with new software, corrections for systematic effects, and improved room-temperature gamma-ray detectors is planned.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nonproliferation and National Security (NN) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 9449
• Report Number(s): LA-13387-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
AUTOMATION
BENCHMARKS
DUCTS
GAMMA DETECTION
MATERIAL UNACCOUNTED FOR
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
PLUTONIUM
RADIATION DETECTORS
RELIABILITY
URANIUM