Design of the Improved Plutonium Canister Assay System (iPCAS)

Year
2001
Author(s)
M. Abhold - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Duc T. Vo - Los Alamos National Laboratory
S.C Bourret - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Seiji Uchikoshi - Nuclear Material Control Center
Michael Baker - Los Alamos National Laboratory
P. Polk - Los Alamos National Laboratory
M. Ishikawa - Nuclear Material Control Center
Y. Sato - Nuclear Material Control Center
Y. Yokota - Nuclear Material Control Center
Abstract
The improved Plutonium Canister Assay System (iPCAS) is designed to detect gross and partial defects in the declared plutonium content of plutonium and MOX storage canisters during transfer to storage and process areas of the MOX fuel fabrication facility in Rokkasho, Japan. In addition, an associated Gamma Isotopics System (GIS) will be used to confirm facility-declared plutonium isotopics with accuracy sufficient to reduce the amount of destructive isotopic analysis needed. The design of the iPCAS instrument and its associated GIS is described and the expected performance of the instrument is discussed.