Year
2006
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy \\ National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE\\NNSA) Office of Global Security Engagement and Cooperation (GSEC) and the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (NECSA) are collaborating on a measurement campaign to complete an inventory of nuclear materials contained in waste drums at Pelindaba. Containers with reportable quantities are declared to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Pelindaba facility currently has a large quantity of drums in storage that contain high concentrations of high-density, low-enriched- uranium (LEU) waste. The calibration method and analysis algorithms currently used on the IQ3 system were modified to minimize any potential bias caused by increased matrix densities. Calibration of the IQ3 for these high-density, high- uranium-concentration containers is complicated by the fact that typical standards are not available. Because this instrument is a dual-use system (i.e., both NECSA and IAEA personnel perform measurements using the IQ3), the calibration standards and techniques must be approved by both organizations. This paper describes the approach used to overcome measurement difficulties and the matrix drum testing which was performed to evaluate these problems. A new protocol was developed to address the problems, and verification of the results was performed based on the new protocol. This protocol has been approved by NECSA and the IAEA and is now being used to assay the LEU waste stream.