Implementation of dynamic cross-talk correction (DCTC) for MOX holdup assay measurements among multiple gloveboxes

Nakamura, Hironobu ; Beddingfield, D.*; Montoya, J.*; Nakamichi, Hideo; Mukai, Yasunobu ; Kurita, Tsutomu 

Plutonium holdup inventory in gloveboxes are measured by HBAS for the nuclear material accountancy (NMA) at PCDF. Because the gloveboxes are installed close to one another, we must make a correction for neutron cross-talk between the gloveboxes. In order to address the issue of variable cross-talk contributions to holdup assay values, we developed a dynamic cross-talk correction (DCTC) method to obtain the actual doubles signal cross-talk between multiple gloveboxes. With the HBAS improvement, the DCTC improves PCDF NMA by eliminating the double-counting of material that stems from cross-talk in the holdup assay data and eliminates this source of bias in the assay results. Since the DCTC methodology can be used to determine the cross-correlation among multiple inventories in small areas and substantially reduce cross-talk-induced biases in assay results, it is expected that DCTC technology can reflect as a safeguards-by-design.