The multi channel analyzer MCA-166 of GBS Rossendorf GmbH, Germany, has been a base instrument for gamma spectrometry both of IAEA and EURATOM for nuclear safeguards applications. Since essential internal electronic chips of the MCA-166 are not provided any more IAEA and the German support program to the IAEA decided to endorse the development of a follower instrument, the MCA-527, with the same company. The performance of this new instrument was tested with respect to parameters, which are essential for safeguards applications: Dead time correction for U enrichment measurements, peak shape for high resolution applications MGA and MGAU, high count rate performance with CdZnTe detectors for spent nuclear fuel, temperature stability of the MCA itself. The tests cover all important detector types applied by IAEA and EURATOM: NaI, NaI with internal Am source, planar Ge, coaxial Ge, LaBr3, and CdZnTe detectors. The tests were made with nuclear materials U and Pu, and with 137Cs and 60Co to simulate spent nuclear fuel. They cover count rate ranges up to about 70 000 … 100 000 cps for U and Pu and with CdZnTe detectors up to 300 000 cps. The report provides a series of setup files for different detector types.
The result of the test is: The performance of the MCA-527 meets the functional requirements for gamma spectrometric measurements for nuclear safeguards applications. Its parameters are as good as or the ones of the MCA-166 or superior to them.
The MCA-527 can also be used for neutron measurements in List mode. Its performance for neutron counting will be described in separate report.JRC.E.8-Nuclear securit
