NDA quantification of Nuclear Waste Containers

The precise determination of the amount of nuclear material within a container has long been a challenge, and especially within drums containing nuclear wastes due to complex matrix and lack of homogeneity. A measurement approach combining calorimetry, gamma spectrometry and radiological modeling will be presented as an integrated waste characterization system. Calorimetry is one of the best solutions to estimate the overall quantity of nuclear material on a wide range of mass, from a few milligrams up to kilograms of radionuclides. Modern technological developments within the calorimetry field give the promise of faster measurement times and precise measurements with low levels of uncertainty. Gamma spectrometry allows to the estimate precisely of isotopic abundance of each radionuclide.