In-plant measurement and analysis of mixtures of uranium and plutonium TRU waste using a 252Cf shuffler instrument

Jon R. Hurd

doi:10.1117/12.339061

29 January 1999 In-plant measurement and analysis of mixtures of uranium and plutonium TRU waste using a ²⁵²Cf shuffler instrument

Jon R. Hurd

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3536, Nuclear Waste Instrumentation Engineering; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.339061
Event: Photonics East (ISAM, VVDC, IEMB), 1998, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

The active-passive ²⁵²Cf shuffler instrument, installed and certified several years ago in Los Alamos National Laboratory's plutonium facility, has now been calibrated for different matrices to measure Waste Isolation Pilot Plant- destined transuranic-waste. Little or no data currently exists for these types of measurements in plant environments where sudden large changes in the neutron background radiation can significantly distort the results. Measurements and analyses of twenty-two 55-gallon drums, consisting of mixtures of varying quantities of uranium and plutonium in mostly noncombustible matrices, have been recently completed at the plutonium facility. The calibration and measurement techniques, including the method used to separate out the plutonium component, will be presented and discussed. Calculations used to adjust for differences in uranium enrichment from that of the calibration standards will be shown. Methods used to determine various sources of both random and systematic error will be indicated. Particular attention will be directed to those problems identified as arising from the plant environment. The results of studies to quantify the aforementioned distortion effects in the data will be presented. Various solution scenarios will be outlined, along with those adopted here.

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Jon R. Hurd "In-plant measurement and analysis of mixtures of uranium and plutonium TRU waste using a ²⁵²Cf shuffler instrument", Proc. SPIE 3536, Nuclear Waste Instrumentation Engineering, (29 January 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.339061

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KEYWORDS

Uranium

Plutonium

Calibration

Matrices

Distortion

Data acquisition

Metals

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