Status on Establishing the Feasibility of Lead Slowing Down Spectroscopy for Direct Measurement of Plutonium in Used Fuel

Year
2012
Author(s)
Denis Beller - University of Nevada-Las Vegas
A. Gavron - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Kevin K. Anderson - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
C.J. Gesh - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Jon Kulisek - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Andy Casella - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
M. Devlin - Los Alamos National Laboratory
J.M. O’Donnell - Los Alamos National Laboratory
R.C. Haight - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Yaron Danon - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
George Imel - Idaho State University
Glen A. Warren - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
A. Weltz - Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Abstract
Developing a method for the accurate, direct, and independent assay of the fissile isotopes in bulk materials (such as used fuel) from next-generation domestic nuclear fuel cycles is a goal of the Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle R&D, Material Protection and Control Technology (MPACT) Campaign. To meet this goal, MPACT supports a multi-institutional collaboration to study the feasibility of Lead Slowing Down Spectroscopy. This technique is an active nondestructive assay method that has the potential to provide independent, direct measurement of Pu and U isotopic masses in used fuel with an uncertainty considerably lower than the approximately 10% typical of today’s confirmatory assay methods. This paper will present efforts on the development of time-spectral analysis algorithms, fast neutron detector advances, and validation and testing measurements.