Evaluation of Active Neutron Coincidence Counter Cross-Calibration Methods for Use in the Russian Federation

Year
2004
Author(s)
V.V. Talanov - State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation Institute of Physics and Power Engineering
S. A. Bogdanov - Institute for Physics and Power Engineering
Gary Kodman - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
B. Ryazanov - RMTC-IPPE -- Obninsk, Russia
V. Golubets - State Research Center of the Russian Federation
Abstract
More than 25 active well coincidence counter (AWCC) systems have been supplied to Russia by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the nondestructive assay (NDA) of nuclear material. Due to the shortage of reference materials, few systems have calibrations suited to the material they will be assaying. To enable the calibration of these systems, a cross-calibration technique initiated at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and used by the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is being investigated as a cost-effective means of transferring calibration parameters across multiple systems. Measurements were performed at the Russian Methodological and Training Center (RMTC) NDA laboratory to evaluate the applicability of several cross-calibration methods as alternatives to traditional calibration techniques for AWCC systems in the Russian Federation (RF). Results from traditional calibration and verification measurements of highly enriched uranium oxide reference materials are presented, as are measurement results utilizing several cross-calibration methods. The applicability of each cross-calibration method is assessed, and recommendations are made on implementation in the RF.