TRANSPARENCY: Tracking Uranium under the U.S. / Russian HEU Purchase Agreement

By the end of August, 2005, the Russia Federation delivered to the United States (U.S.) more than 7,000 metric tons (MT) of low enriched uranium (LEU) containing approximately 46 million SWU and 75,000 MT of natural uranium. This uranium was blended down from weapons-grade (nominally enriched to 90% {sup 235}U) highly enriched uranium (HEU) under the 1993 HEU Purchase Agreement that provides for the blend down of 500 MT HEU into LEU for use as fuel in commercial nuclear reactors. The HEU Transparency Program, under the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), monitored the conversion and blending of the more than 250 MT HEU used to produce this LEU. The HEU represents more than half of the 500 MT HEU scheduled to be blended down through the year 2013 and is equivalent to the elimination of more than 10,000 nuclear devices. The HEU Transparency Program has made considerable progress in its mission to develop and implement transparency measures necessary to assure that Russian HEU extracted from dismantled Russian nuclear weapons is blended down into LEU for delivery to the United States. U.S. monitor observations include the inventory of in process containers, observation of plant operations, nondestructive assay measurements to determine {sup 235}U enrichment, as well as the examination of Material Control and Accountability (MC&A) documents. During 2005, HEU Transparency Program personnel will conduct 24 Special Monitoring Visits (SMVs) to four Russian uranium processing plants, in addition to staffing a Transparency Monitoring Office (TMO) at one Russian site

In-beam spectroscopy using the (t,p) reaction: recent results near A = 100

Charged particle spectroscopy using the (t,p) reaction has been employed for more than two decades to study the low-energy structure of nuclei. This reaction has contributed significantly to the elucidation of single-particle and collective phenomena for neutron rich nuclei in virtually every mass region. We have begun to use the (t,p) reaction in conjunctionuclei with in-beam ..gamma..-ray and conversion-electron spectroscopy to bring additional understanding to low-energy nuclear structure. In this report we briefly discuss the experimental considerations in using this reaction for in-beam spectroscopy, and present some results for nuclei with mass near 100

Portable NDA equipment for enrichment measurements for the HEU transparency program

In October 1996, the Department of Energy (DOE) and MINATOM agreed to use portable non-destructive assay (NDA) equipment to measure the {sup 235}U enrichment of material subject to the HEU Transparency agreement. A system based on the ''enrichment meter'' method and high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors had been previously developed for this application. Instead, sodium iodide (NaI) detectors were chosen to measure {sup 235}U enrichment because HPGe systems might reveal sensitive information. Although the accuracy of the NaI systems is less than an HPGe system, it still satisfies the transparency requirements. The equipment consists of a collimated NaI detector, a Canberra Inspector Multi-channel Analyzer, and a laptop computer. The units have been used to confirm the enrichment of material at Russian facilities since January 1997. This paper compares the performance of the NaI systems with the HPGe system and discusses some significant differences

NDA via gamma-ray active and passive computed tomography

Gamma-ray-based computed tomography (CT) requires that two different measurements be made on a closed waste container. [MAR92 and ROB94] When the results from these two measurements are combined, it becomes possible to identify and quantify all detectable gamma-ray emitting radioisotopes within a container. All measurements are made in a tomographic manner, i.e., the container is moved sequentially through well- known and accurately reproducible translation, rotation, and elevation positions in order to obtain gamma-ray data that is reconstructed by computer into images that represent waste contents. [ROB94] The two measurements modes are called active (A) and passive (P) CT. In the ACT mode, a collimated gamma-ray source external to the waste container emits multiple, mono-energetic gamma rays that pass through the container and are detected on the opposite side. The attenuated gamma-rays transmitted are measured as a function of both energy and position of the container. Thus, container contents are `mapped` via the measured amount of attenuation suffered at each gamma-ray energy. In effect, a three dimensional (3D) image of gamma- ray attenuation versus waste content is obtained. In the PCT measurement mode, the external radioactive source is shuttered turned- off, and the waste container, is moved through similar positions used for the ACT measurements. However, this time the radiation detectors record any gamma-rays emitted by radioactive sources on the inside of the waste container. Thus, internal radioactive content is mapped or 3D-imaged in the same tomographic manner as the attenuating matrix materials were in the ACT measurement mode

Gamma ray scanner systems for nondestructive assay of heterogeneous waste barrels

Traditional gamma measurement errors are related to non-uniform measurement responses associated with unknown radioactive source and matrix material distributions. These errors can be reduced by application of tomographic techniques that measure these distributions. LLNL has developed two tomographic-based waste assay systems. They use external radioactive sources and tomography-protocol to map the attenuation within a waste barrel as a function of mono-energetic gamma-ray energy in waste containers. Passive tomography is used to localize and identify specific radioactive waste contents within the same waste containers. Reconstruction of the passive data via the active images allows internal waste radioactivities in a barrel to be corrected for any overlying heterogeneous materials, thus yielding an absolute assay of the waste radioactivities. Calibration of both systems requires only point source measurements and are independent of matrix materials

Active and passive computed tomography mixed waste focus area final report

The Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) Characterization Development Strategy delineates an approach to resolve technology deficiencies associated with the characterization of mixed wastes. The intent of this strategy is to ensure the availability of technologies to support the Department of Energy� s (DOE) mixed-waste, low-level or transuranic (TRU) contaminated waste characterization management needs. To this end the MWFA has defined and coordinated characterization development programs to ensure that data and test results necessary to evaluate the utility of non-destructive assay technologies are available to meet site contact handled waste management schedules. Requirements used as technology development project benchmarks are based in the National TRU Program Quality Assurance Program Plan. These requirements include the ability to determine total bias and total measurement uncertainty. These parameters must be completely evaluated for waste types to be processed through a given nondestructive waste assay system constituting the foundation of activities undertaken in technology development projects. Once development and testing activities have been completed, Innovative Technology Summary Reports are generated to provide results and conclusions to support EM-30, -40, or -60 end user or customer technology selection. The active and passive computed tomography non-destructive assay system is one of the technologies selected for development by the MWFA. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed the active and passive computed tomography (A&XT) nondestructive assay (NDA) technology to identify and accurately quantify all detectable radioisotopes in closed containers of waste. This technology will be applicable to all types of waste regardless of their classification-low level, transuranic or mixed. Mixed waste contains radioactivity and hazardous organic species. The scope of our technology is to develop a non-invasive waste-drum scanner that employs the principles of computed tomography and gamma-ray spectral analysis to identify and quantify all of the detectable radioisotopes. Once this and other applicable technologies are developed, waste drums can be nondestructively and accurately characterized to satisfy repository and regulatory guidelines prior to disposal

Active and passive computed tomography for nondestructive assay

Traditional gamma-ray methods used to characterize nuclear waste introduce errors that are related to non-uniform measurement responses associated with unknown radioactive source and matrix material distributions. These errors can be reduced by applying an active and passive tomographic technique (A&PCT) developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The technique uses an external radioactive source and active tomography to map the attenuation within a waste barrel as a function of mono-energetic gamma-ray energy. Passive tomography is used to localize and identify specific radioactive waste within the same container. Reconstruction of the passive data using the attenuation maps at specific energies allows internal waste radioactivity to be corrected for any overlying heterogeneous materials, thus yielding an absolute assay of the waste activity. LLNL and Bio-Imaging Research, Inc. have collaborated in a technology transfer effort to integrate an A&PCT assay system into a mobile waste characterization trailer. This mobile system has participated in and passed several formal DOE-sponsored performance demonstrations, tests and evaluations. The system is currently being upgraded with multiple detectors to improve throughput, automated gamma-ray analysis code to simplify the assay, and a new emission reconstruction code to improve accurac