First-year evaluation of a nondestructive assay system for the examination of ORNL TRU waste
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been selected as the demonstration site for a new transuranic neutron assay system (NAS) developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. In addition, in order to meet specific ORNL program objectives, an upgraded segmented gamma-ray drum scanner has been integrated into the nondestructive assay (NDA) system to serve as a radioisotope identifier and as a quantitative assay backup to the NAS. A verification study, wherein selected waste drums will be emptied into glove boxes and their contents sampled and subsequently gamma-ray assayed, will take place in FY 1984. Results will be compared to those obtained from the NDA techniques. The NAS uses pulsed-neutron interrogation (differential- dieaway technique) and passive neutron measurements to determine fissile component and an upper-limit estimate of the total TRU activity contained in each waste drum. Of the 171 waste drums assayed to date, nine drums were determined to contain less than 10 nCi/g TRU isotopes. An additional number of drums (approximately 20%) are expected to be categorized as non-TRU, which is presently defined as less than 100 nCi/g TRU concentration. This requires a detailed analysis of the data which includes waste matrix compensation, systematic qualitative and quantitative gamma-ray analyses, and interpretation of neutron multiplicity data. Reproducibility of the active assay measurements on a single waste drum indicate agreement to +-3% relative error. 14 references, 24 figures, 8 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5041064
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-6007; ON: DE84010638
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
CLASSIFICATION
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
NUCLEAR REACTION ANALYSIS
RADIOMETRIC ANALYSIS
ORNL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ERRORS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISSILE MATERIALS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
RELIABILITY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DATA
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SPECTROSCOPY
STORAGE
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES
400101* - Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
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052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage