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Nuclear Safeguards/NDA
Measurements Nuclear
Safeguards are measures to verify that States comply with their
international obligations not to use nuclear materials (plutonium,
uranium and thorium) for nuclear explosives purposes. Global
recognition of the need for such verification is reflected in the
requirements of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons (NPT) for the application of safeguards by the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Also, the Treaty Establishing the
European Atomic Energy Community (the Euratom Treaty) includes
requirements for the application of safeguards by the European
Commission.
Non-Destructive Assay Solutions for Special Nuclear
Material
Accountability and Radioactive Waste Measurements
ORTEC and ANTECH
are partners in the
area of non-destructive assay instruments and systems for waste
assay and nuclear safeguards applications.
ORTEC distributes and supports ANTECH-manufactured Gamma-Ray,
Neutron and Calorimetry Systems along with its own ORTEC products.
Here, we summarize the combined product range now available through
ORTEC Sales and Service Centers, world-wide for a wide range of NDA
needs.Gamma-Ray Systems
 Holdup Measurement System (HMS-4)6
For: Determination of changes in holdup inventories in
process plants.
- A portable, easy to use solution to SNM Holdup.
- Complete solution for uranium and plutonium hold-up tracking
- Gathers data, analyzes and documents
- Highly automated, measurement points are identified using bar codes
- Incorporates the Los Alamos (LANL) Generalized Geometry Holdup (GGH) methodology
 Micro-trans-SPEC
Portable UF6 Cylinder
Verification System
- Fast and accurate identification of UF6 cylinders
- All-in-one portable system designed for use by safeguards inspectors
- High resolution HPGe solves
spectral interferences which degrade NaI
- No LN2 required
ISO-CART 4
 For: In-situ assay of large containers,
pipes, surfaces, etc.
- Cart-mounted mobile system for in-situ measurement of surfaces and objects
- Handles a wide variety of container sizes and densities
- Simple point-source calibration
- Models geometry and matrix corrections
- "Fine-tune" interative graphic plot validates configuration assumptions
- Typical counting times vary from 15 to 30 minutes
- Also applicable to process holdup measurements of special nuclear material
-
ISO-CART at
Work
-
Turntable option
 Hybrid K-Edge Densitometer
For:
(a) Analysis of input solutions in fuel reprocessing plants.
(b) Analysis of output product in fuel reprocessing plants.
(c) Measurement of actinide-bearing samples in the analytical laboratory setting.
The HKED instrument offered by ORTEC employs the latest technology
developed by the NIS-5 group at LANL. This new technology results from consequent and
continuous development over several years. The superior analysis routine resulting
provides a substantial improvement in performance over traditional HKED units. It also
extends the scope of applications to include analytical laboratory applications.
- Available as laboratory instrument or as input solution instrument.
- Custom configurations to match to existing hot cell with suitable fail safe sampling
handling methods available.
- Physics and Engineering consulting design support available.
- Flexible choice of standards for calibration purposes, including ability to use suites
of standards having different enrichment factors.
- Superior attenuation correction algorithm permits good calibrations with small numbers
of calibration standards.
- Measurement range from 100mg to 100’s of g of the 6 major Actinides (U, Pu, etc),
with ratios of major to minor to 100’s.
- Ease of sample preparation, especially when compared to destructive methods.
ISOTOPIC-32 for Soils
For: Solves a wide variety of problems associated with
the assay of gamma-emitting radioactive waste.
- Boxes
- Drums
- Pipes
- Surfaces (collimated detector)
- Wide Area Assay of soils and surfaces (uncollimated detector:
M-1 Methodology)
QED
Low-Level
Waste Assay and Segregation System
 An easy to use, reliable and robust
solution to free release sentencing of containerized radioactive waste.
This gamma-ray system is designed
for measurements down to very low levels of activity. It consists of
three HPGe coaxial detectors housed in a steel shield which will
accommodate a 208 litre drum.
- Detection limits easily meet free release
levels resultingin cost savings
- Supports 208 liter (55 gal.) containers and
smaller boxes
- Container weighing up to 725 kg (1600 lbs)
via load cell
- Automatic drum handling conveyor options
- High sensitivity LN2-free HPGe detectors with
advanced digital signal processing electronics
- Flexible reporting
Neutron Measurement Systems
Model 2203 Very High Efficiency Neutron
Counter (VHEnC)
 For: measurement of Plutonium bearing
intermediate and low level waste in 220 litre (55 gallon) drums
- Decagon shaped measurement chamber approximates the cylindrical
geometry of the drum eliminating the need to rotate the drum during
neutron counting
- AMSR-150 data is analysed by an
optimised version of the LANL INCC code based on super-HENC technology
for cosmic-ray reduction.
- Can be operated in conventional coincidence mode to eliminate the
(a,n) neutron signal and in multiplicity
mode, where larger quantities of plutonium are present, to achieve
matrix correction
-
160 He-3 tubes (25 mm
diameter x 1 m length, 6 atmospheres fill
pressure) arranged in two rows of 80 tubes close coupled to the waste
drum.
- Optional ‘Add-a-Source’ Cf-252 available for matrix correction
which complements the matrix correction by neutron multiplicity
counting
-
Lower Limit of Detection of between 1.3–15
mg 240Pueffective in totals mode
equivalent to between ~20 and 250 mg total
Pu (military grade)
Model 2200 Passive Neutron/Gamma
Multiplicity Drum
Monitor
 For: measurement of Plutonium
bearing intermediate and low level waste in 220 litre (55 gallon) drums
- Optimised for use with ANTECH 1000 Series TCA (multiplicity
counter) electronics using 3 trigger methods and 16 simultaneous
observation intervals (gate widths)
- Comprehensive neutron Coincidence and Multiplicity counting data
analysis software incorporating analytical dead-time correction
- Individual totals count and statistical analysis for each of 16
counting chains, (each chain has a separate head amplifier)
- Detector efficiency of 20% with 64 He-3 detector tubes close
coupled to the drum forming a decagon
- Internal Cadmium liner may be removed for higher efficiency totals
counting
 Model 2442
Active Well Coincidence Counter (AWCC)
For: Uranium determination (active mode) and Pu
determination
(passive mode)
- Robust Construction
- Reproduces the physics and measurement characteristics of the
original LANL AWCC design
- Adjustable size measurement chamber
- High detection efficiency of 31% in large sample configuration
- Employs two Americium-Lithium (Am-Li) neutron sources for Uranium
determination.
- 42 He-3 detectors at 4 atm. pressure with six Amptek charge
sensitive amplifiers
- Serves as both active neutron detector for measuring uranium and
passive neutron multiplicity detector for measuring plutonium
- Advanced electronics with de-randomising mixer buffer circuitry to
reduce count losses
- Built in totals counters which can be read out independently
- Provides complete passive and active assay system when used with
the ANTECH/ORTEC
AMSR
1507 Neutron
Coincidence/Multiplicity Counter
 Model 200 High Sensitivity Large Sample Calorimeter
For: The measurement of plutonium and tritium
True Isothermal ‘Air Bath’ Absolute Calorimetry Measurements
Automatic software algorithms for equilibrium sample power
prediction and measurement end point determination
Automatic Plutonium and Americium decay correction
Custom designs are available from ANTECH for different size and
dimensions of sample containers and measurement sensitivities
Software selectable redundant measurement sensors and operation
modes to optimise accuracy or measurement time
Sample lifting device with fail safe hoist
Short delivery time of less than six months for custom designs
 Series 3800 Tomographic Gamma Scanner1
(TGS)
For: Assay of drummed waste, potentially containing
inhomogeneous matrices (e.g. scrap, decommissioning waste).
The
Model 3800 Combined Tomographic Gamma Scanner for up to 400 liter
drums combines the functions of a TGS, SGS, and Pu Isotopic System
(using the PC/FRAM code) in one skid
mounted instrument.
One instrument provides total Assay result combining TGS
measurement of U, Pu and other Radionuclides with Pu isotopic ratio
analysis using LANL PC/FRAM code
TGS technique meets both safeguards and WIPP measurement and QA
requirements
Provides tomographic maps of absorbers and sources in
heterogeneous matrices
Extends range of SGS technique to hertogenious samples. For
homogeneous samples the ANTECH TGS can operate as an SGS using
ANTECH ARTEMIS-2 software
A single calibration constant can be employed for each radio
nuclide determined due to the bias reduction inherent in the TGS
technique
Measures samples with Am-241 content which cannot be measured with
neutron techniques
Accuracy and precision sufficient to meet safeguards, shipping and
disposal requirements
Gamma-ray based NDA technique for the assay of U, Pu and radio
nuclides in waste, based on licensed LANL TGS technology
Incorporates Tomographic Gamma Scanner (TGS)
Segmented Gamma Scanner (SGS) and plutonium Isotopic Ratio Measurement
capability in one instrument
Automatic gamma-ray energy calibration using the Se-75 transmission
source
Transmission corrections are achieved using SE-75 transmission source
to develop a 3D spatial map of the attenuation coefficient of the sample
Manual or automatic drum loading
Measurement time of typically less than one hour. Increased accuracy
and precision can be achieved by extending the measurement time
Mobile operator control console which is compatible with both Drum TGS
and UGS for cans, which can be local or remote from the instrument
Accuracy is typically better than 10% for measurement of cans and 20% for
matrices with average density 2g/cm3. It is better than 10% for
metal scrap matrices
Summary of System Applicability |
Instrument |
Uranium |
Plutonium |
Fission/Activation Products |
Comments |
| QED |
* |
* |
* |
Most sensitive; for light waste |
| Calorimeter |
|
* |
|
Most accurate, also for tritium |
| ISO-CART |
* |
* |
* |
Handles large badly characterized samples |
| Passive Neutron |
|
* |
|
Spontaneous Fission Nuclides |
| Active Well |
* |
* |
|
Passive or Active modes |
| HMS-3 |
* |
* |
|
|
| TGS |
* |
* |
* |
Large or small container; highest accuracy |
The ORTEC -ANTECH Advantage
All of the gamma-ray measurement systems described herein
are based on ORTEC component instruments. For more than 25 years, the ORTEC
name has become synonymous with quality, innovation and reliability in
gamma-ray measurement instruments. The systems employ the latest ORTEC
DIGITAL spectrometers, DSPEC Plus and the portable digiDART
MCA. SGD series "Safeguards-tuned" HPGe
detectors feature extensively. All of the HPGe gamma-ray systems listed here may
optionally be supplied with the revolutionary X-COOLER for
cost effective LN2-free operation. The AMSR-150
Advanced Multiplicity Shift Register is a joint ORTEC-ANTECH product. The combination of
ORTEC products and subsystems with ANTECH advanced system engineering and innovative
measurement technology results in solutions across a broad range of NDA needs. All systems
may be fully supported world-wide.
1 LANL License 99-53-00559
2 High Resolution Gamma Spectrometry
3 LANL License 97-53-00241 and additions
4 Software License LMES PLA-190
5 HASL 258 et.seq.
6 LMES License 0248
7 LANL License 99-53-00581 |
