Download or read book Nondestructive Assay Tests of High efficiency Neutron Counter HENC for Waste Assay and Possible Diversion Scenario written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 35 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An advanced passive neutron counter, the high-efficiency neutron counter (HENC), has been used to measure plutonium content in 200-L waste drums. The HENC was designed with the 252Cf add-a-source (AS) feature to improve accuracy over a wide range of waste matrix materials. The current implementation allows for passive neutron coincidence counting, AS analysis, and multiplicity analysis. Passive neutron assay of typical waste containers is intrinsically more accurate than active neutron techniques because of the penetrability of the spontaneous fission neutrons originating from within the waste matrix. In addition, the HENC is designed as a slightly undermoderated detector to be less sensitive to low loading of hydrogen-bearing matrices. The following paper considers the applicability of three different nondestructive assay methods for analysis of waste drums and the flagging of possible diversions in waste drums. The 252Cf AS method, multiplicity counting, and a bounded-parameter multiplicity analysis are presented with areas of applicability.
Download or read book Final Evaluation of Characterizing Pipe over pack Containers Using High Efficiency Neutron Counters written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nondestructive assay (NDA) measurements of Transuranic (TRU) waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) packed in Pipe-over-Pack Containers (POC) contain a number of complexities. The POC is highly attenuating to both gamma rays and neutrons which presents a difficult waste matrix for correct quantification of material in the container. Currently there are a number ofPOC containers at LANL that require evaluation for shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM. Updated data has been evaluated that finalizes the evaluation of characterizing Pipe-Over-Pack Containers. Currently at LANL, a single instrument has been used to explore the appropriateness of both passive neutron and quantitative gamma ray methods for measuring POC's. The passive neutron approach uses the Reals coincidence count rate to establish plutonium mass and other parameters of interest for TRU waste. The quantitative gamma ray method assumes a homogeneous distribution of radioactive source material with the surrounding material throughout the drum volume. Drums are assayed with a calibration based on the known density of the matrix. Both methods are supplemented by a simultaneous isotopic measurement using Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) to determine the plutonium isotopic composition. If MGA fails to provide a viable isotopic result Fixed Energy Response function Analysis with Multiple efficiencies (FRAM) has been used to replace the MGA results. Acceptable Knowledge (AK) may also be used in certain instances. This report will discuss the two methods in detail. Included in the discussion will be descriptions of the setup parameters and calibration techniques for the instrument. A number of test measurements have been performed to compare HENC data with certified historical data. Empty POCs loaded with known sources have also been measured to determine the viability of the technique. A comparison between calorimetry data, historical measurements and HENC data will also be performed. The conclusion will show that the current calibration on the HENC units is viable for analysis of POCs.
Download or read book Development of a High efficiency Neutron Counter Using Novel Materials written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Neutron detection efficiency is an important figure of merit for waste assay applications that must measure small quantities of material. It is also important for neutron coincidence counting and multiplicity counting because the detection of double- and triple-correlated events scales as the detection efficiency squared and cubed, respectively. Conventional thermal neutron detection systems typically employ 3He detector tubes embedded in polyethylene. The polyethylene moderates the neutrons so they can be detected by the 3He tubes. However, the hydrogen in the moderator also absorbs neutrons and reduces the diffusion length. We have extensively explored alternate designs that use both polyethylene and other industrial plastics with lower concentrations of hydrogen. In MCNP studies, we have achieved higher detection efficiency by using both polyethylene and other plastics in a hybrid design. In this paper we will present the design of a nominal 30%-efficient, 200-liter neutron counter that uses a hybrid design. We will show comparison results of this design compared to a standard polyethylene design. Finally, this counter has been constructed and tested, and was used in the Los Alamos waste assay course. We will show comparisons of the experimental results from this counter to the MCNP predictions.
Download or read book Preliminary Report of the Comparison of Multiple Non destructive Assay Techniques on LANL Plutonium Facility Waste Drums written by and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prior to disposal, nuclear waste must be accurately characterized to identify and quantify the radioactive content. The DOE Complex faces the daunting task of measuring nuclear material with both a wide range of masses and matrices. Similarly daunting can be the selection of a non-destructive assay (NDA) technique(s) to efficiently perform the quantitative assay over the entire waste population. In fulfilling its role of a DOE Defense Programs nuclear User Facility/Technology Development Center, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility recently tested three commercially built and owned, mobile nondestructive assay (NDA) systems with special nuclear materials (SNM). Two independent commercial companies financed the testing of their three mobile NDA systems at the site. Contained within a single trailer is Canberra Industries segmented gamma scanner/waste assay system (SGS/WAS) and neutron waste drum assay system (WDAS). The third system is a BNFL Instruments Inc. (formerly known as Pajarito Scientific Corporation) differential die-away imaging passive/active neutron (IPAN) counter. In an effort to increase the value of this comparison, additional NDA techniques at LANL were also used to measure these same drums. These are comprised of three tomographic gamma scanners (one mobile unit and two stationary) and one developmental differential die-away system. Although not certified standards, the authors hope that such a comparison will provide valuable data for those considering these different NDA techniques to measure their waste as well as the developers of the techniques.
Download or read book The Design of a High efficiency Neutron Counter for Waste Drums to Provide Optimized Sensitivity for Plutonium Assay written by H. O. Menlove and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Active Nondestructive Assay of Nuclear Materials written by Tsahi Gozani and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book High Fluence Neutron Source for Nondestructive Characterization of Nuclear Waste 1998 Annual Progress Report written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 3 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author is addressing the need to measure nuclear wastes, residues, and spent fuel in order to process these for final disposition. For example, TRU wastes destined for the WIPP must satisfy extensive characterization criteria outlined in the Waste Acceptance Criteria. Similar requirements exist for spent fuel and residues. At present, no nondestructive assay instrumentation is capable of satisfying all of the requirements. One of the primary methods for waste assay is by active neutron interrogation. The authors plan to improve the capability of all active neutron systems by providing a higher intensity neutron source (by about a factor of 1,000) for essentially the same cost, power, and space requirements as existing systems. This high intensity neutron source will be an electrostatically confined (IEC) plasma device. The IEC is a symmetric sphere that was originally developed in the 1950s as a possible fusion reactor. It operates as D-T neutron generator. Although it was not believed to scale to fusion reactor levels, these experiments demonstrated a neutron yield of 2 x 1010 neutrons/second on table-top experiments that could be powered from ordinary laboratory circuits (1 kilowatt). The basis for scaling the output up to 1x1011 n/s has been established. In addition, IEC devices have run for cumulative times approaching 10,000 hours. The essential features of the IEC plasma neutron source, compared to existing sources of the same cost, size and power consumption, are: neutron yield of 1011 compared to 108, lifetime of 10,000 hours compared to 500, and operation is pulsed or steady state compared to pulsed. The design of a conventional IEC source is a spherical vacuum chamber containing a spherical grid. The grid is raised to a high negative potential. A breakdown develops between the chamber wall and the grid, and this plasma becomes a source of positive deuterium and tritium ions. These ions are accelerated to the center of the vacuum chamber sphere where they may collide. If the grid is raised to a nominal 100 kV, the coulomb barrier for D-T fusion, then the fusion cross section becomes quite large and the neutron production proceeds. The limiting factor has been high densities associated with the Paschen breakdown curve. Because of the high densities, the ions tend to collide multiple times before reaching the center and do not collide with the full accelerating potential. The Los Alamos IEC uses a triple grid design. In the triple grid IEC device, the inner grid is the accelerating grid and serves the same function as the single grid in conventional IEC systems. The central grid serves as electrical isolation, and is held at ground potential. The outer grid is raised to a modest positive potential, say 200 volts. Dispenser cathodes around the vacuum chamber wall inject electrons. The electrons are trapped and orbit around the outer grid, ionizing a local plasma. Because of the modest potential, the breakdown occurs at a different point on the Paschen curve, at a much lower density. The limit is further relaxed by the injected ionization from the dispenser cathodes. The result is a lower density plasma. The result is a tight focus of fully accelerated ions that collide in a beam-beam mode. The collision energy and neutron yield are large.
Download or read book Recent Experiences of Scrap and Waste Assay Using Neutron Coincidence Counting of Materials from F B Line at the Savannah River Site written by and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The heterogeneous nature of scrap and waste poses unique problems for quantitative measurement. This is particularly true when the sample to be measured can have significant amounts of plutonium in addition to a variety of matrix components. One approach to addressing these difficulties is to combine gamma-ray and neutron counting techniques. A system combining a segmented gamma-ray scanner and neutron coincidence counter has recently been developed for the non-destructive assay of plutonium-bearing scrap and waste. Experience gained with the neutron coincidence counter portion of the system is described. Results obtained from the measurement of scrap and waste materials containing a few grams to a few hundred grams of plutonium are given. The effects of different matrices are evaluated and the role of special diagnostics is explored. 5 refs., 13 figs., 3 tabs.
Download or read book The Ephithermal Neutron Multiplicity Counter Design and Performance Manual More Rapid Plutonium and Uranium Inventory Verifications by Factors of 5 20 written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thermal neutron multiplicity counters (TNMCs) assay [sup 240]Pu-effective mass, isolating spontaneous-fission (SF), induced-fission, and ([alpha], n) neutrons emitted from plutonium metal, oxide, scrap, and residue items. Three independent parameters are measured: single, double, and triple neutron-pulse-coincidence count rates. TNMC assays can become precision limited by high ([alpha], n) neutron rates arising from low-Z impurities and [sup 241]Am. TNMCs capture thermal neutrons in 4-atm [sup 3]He tubes after fast-source-neutron moderation by polyethylene. TNMCs are [approximately]50% efficient with [approximately]-[micro]s die-away times. Simultaneously increasing efficiency and reducing die-away time dramatically improve assay precision. Using 10-atm [sup 3]He tubes, they've developed and performance-tested the first of a new generation of neutron assay counters for a wide range of plutonium items. The Epithermal Neutron Multiplicity Counter (ENMC) has an efficiency of 65% and a 22-[micro]s die-away time. The ENMC detects neutrons before thermalization using higher [sup 3]He pressure counters and less moderator than TNMCs. A special insert raises efficiency to 80% for small samples. For five bulk samples containing 50 to 875 g of [sup 240]Pu-effective, ENMC assay times are reduced by factors of 5 to 21, compared with prior state-of-the-art TNMCs. The largest relative gains are for the most impure items, where gains are needed most. In active mode, the ENMC assay times are reduced by factors of 5 to 11, compared with the Active Well Coincidence Counter (AWCC). The ENMC, with high precision and low multiplicity dead time (37 ns), can be used in standards verification mode to precisely and accurately characterize plutonium standards and isotopic sources. The ENMC's performance is very competitive with calorimetry. This report describes the ENMC; presents results of characterization, calibration, and verification measurements; and shows the clear performance and economic advantages of implementing the ENMC for nuclear materials control and accountability.
Download or read book Passive Nondestructive Assay of Nuclear Materials written by Doug Reilly and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 700 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Standard Test Method for Non Destructive Assay of Nuclear Material in Waste by Passive and Active Neutron Counting Using a Differential Die Away System written by and published by . This book was released on with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Strategy and Methodology for Radioactive Waste Characterization written by International Atomic Energy Agency and published by IAEA. This book was released on 2007 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade significant progress has been achieved in the development of waste characterization and control procedures and equipment as a direct response to ever-increasing requirements for quality and reliability of information on waste characteristics. Failure in control procedures at any step can have important, adverse consequences and may result in producing waste packages which are not compliant with the waste acceptance criteria for disposal, thereby adversely impacting the repository. The information and guidance included in this publication corresponds to recent achievements and reflects the optimum approaches, thereby reducing the potential for error and enhancing the quality of the end product. -- Publisher's description.
Download or read book Safeguards Techniques and Equipment written by International Atomic Energy Agency and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1990s saw significant developments in the global non-proliferation landscape, resulting in a new period of safeguards development. The current publication, which is the second revision and update of IAEA/NVS/1, is intended to give a full and balanced description of the safeguards techniques and equipment used for nuclear material accountancy, containment and surveillance measures, environmental sampling, and data security. New features include a section on new and novel technologies. As new verification measures continue to be developed, the material in this book will be reviewed periodically and updated versions issued.
Download or read book Handbook of Nuclear Chemistry written by Attila Vértes and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-12-10 with total page 3693 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This revised and extended 6 volume handbook set is the most comprehensive and voluminous reference work of its kind in the field of nuclear chemistry. The Handbook set covers all of the chemical aspects of nuclear science starting from the physical basics and including such diverse areas as the chemistry of transactinides and exotic atoms as well as radioactive waste management and radiopharmaceutical chemistry relevant to nuclear medicine. The nuclear methods of the investigation of chemical structure also receive ample space and attention. The international team of authors consists of scores of world-renowned experts - nuclear chemists, radiopharmaceutical chemists and physicists - from Europe, USA, and Asia. The Handbook set is an invaluable reference for nuclear scientists, biologists, chemists, physicists, physicians practicing nuclear medicine, graduate students and teachers - virtually all who are involved in the chemical and radiopharmaceutical aspects of nuclear science. The Handbook set also provides further reading via the rich selection of references.
Download or read book The New Nuclear Forensics written by Vitaly Fedchenko and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nuclear material changes its form and properties as it moves through the nuclear fuel cycle, from one facility to another. Each step of the fuel cycle or each use of the material will inevitably leave its mark. The science of determining the history of a sample of nuclear material through the study of these characteristics is known as nuclear forensics. While nuclear forensic analysis has normally been associated with investigations and prosecutions in the contextof trafficking of nuclear materials or nuclear terrorism, it had wider applications in in national security contexts, such as nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament, and arms control. The New Nuclear Forensics is the first book to give a definitive guide to this broader definition of nuclear forensic analysis. This book describes the various methods used in nuclear forensics, giving first a broad introduction to the process followed by details of relevant measurement techniques and procedures. In each case, the advantages and limitations are outlined. To put these methods in context, the book also recounts the history of the discipline anddescribes the diverse contemporary applications of nuclear forensics.
Download or read book Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists written by and published by . This book was released on 1970-06 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is the premier public resource on scientific and technological developments that impact global security. Founded by Manhattan Project Scientists, the Bulletin's iconic "Doomsday Clock" stimulates solutions for a safer world.
