Apparatus and method for quantitative assay of generic transuranic wastes from nuclear reactors
Abstract
A combination of passive and active neutron measurements which yields quantitative information about the isotopic composition of transuranic wastes from nuclear power or weapons material manufacture reactors is described. From the measurement of prompt and delayed neutron emission and the incidence of two coincidentally emitted neutrons from induced fission of fissile material in the sample, one can quantify /sup 233/U, /sup 235/U and /sup 239/Pu isotopes in waste samples. Passive coincidence counting, including neutron multiplicity measurement and determination of the overall passive neutron flux additionally enables the separate quantitative evaluation of spontaneous fission isotopes such as /sup 240/Pu, /sup 244/Cm and /sup 252/Cf, and the spontaneous alpha particle emitter /sup 241/Am. These seven isotopes are the most important constituents of wastes from nuclear power reactors and once the mass of each isotope present is determined by the apparatus and method of the instant invention, the overall alpha particle activity can be determined to better than 1 nCi/g from known radioactivity data. Therefore, in addition to the quantitative analysis of the waste sample useful for later reclamation purposes, the alpha particle activity can be determined to decide whether permanent low-level burial is appropriate for the waste sample.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6509200
- Application Number:
- ON: DE83006885
- Assignee:
- ERA-08-017422; EDB-83-048395
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; ALPHA-BEARING WASTES; ISOTOPE RATIO; AMERICIUM 241; NUCLEAR REACTION ANALYSIS; CALIFORNIUM 252; CURIUM 244; PLUTONIUM 239; DELAYED NEUTRON ANALYSIS; PLUTONIUM 240; URANIUM 233; URANIUM 235; FISSILE MATERIALS; PROMPT NEUTRONS; QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; ACTINIDE ISOTOPES; ACTINIDE NUCLEI; ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; AMERICIUM ISOTOPES; BARYONS; CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; CURIUM ISOTOPES; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; EVEN-ODD NUCLEI; FERMIONS; FISSION NEUTRONS; FISSIONABLE MATERIALS; HADRONS; HEAVY NUCLEI; ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; MATERIALS; MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; NEUTRONS; NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS; NUCLEI; NUCLEONS; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RADIOISOTOPES; URANIUM ISOTOPES; WASTES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing; 400101 - Activation, Nuclear Reaction, Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
Citation Formats
Caldwell, J T, Kunz, W E, and Atencio, J D. Apparatus and method for quantitative assay of generic transuranic wastes from nuclear reactors. United States: N. p., 1982.
Web.
Caldwell, J T, Kunz, W E, & Atencio, J D. Apparatus and method for quantitative assay of generic transuranic wastes from nuclear reactors. United States.
Caldwell, J T, Kunz, W E, and Atencio, J D. Wed .
"Apparatus and method for quantitative assay of generic transuranic wastes from nuclear reactors". United States.
@article{osti_6509200,
title = {Apparatus and method for quantitative assay of generic transuranic wastes from nuclear reactors},
author = {Caldwell, J T and Kunz, W E and Atencio, J D},
abstractNote = {A combination of passive and active neutron measurements which yields quantitative information about the isotopic composition of transuranic wastes from nuclear power or weapons material manufacture reactors is described. From the measurement of prompt and delayed neutron emission and the incidence of two coincidentally emitted neutrons from induced fission of fissile material in the sample, one can quantify /sup 233/U, /sup 235/U and /sup 239/Pu isotopes in waste samples. Passive coincidence counting, including neutron multiplicity measurement and determination of the overall passive neutron flux additionally enables the separate quantitative evaluation of spontaneous fission isotopes such as /sup 240/Pu, /sup 244/Cm and /sup 252/Cf, and the spontaneous alpha particle emitter /sup 241/Am. These seven isotopes are the most important constituents of wastes from nuclear power reactors and once the mass of each isotope present is determined by the apparatus and method of the instant invention, the overall alpha particle activity can be determined to better than 1 nCi/g from known radioactivity data. Therefore, in addition to the quantitative analysis of the waste sample useful for later reclamation purposes, the alpha particle activity can be determined to decide whether permanent low-level burial is appropriate for the waste sample.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 31 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Wed Mar 31 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}