Development of non-destructive assay system using fast neutron direct interrogation method for actual uranium waste drums

Ozu, Akira  ; Komeda, Masao   ; Kureta, Masatoshi   ; Zaima, Naoki; Nakatsuka, Yoshiaki; Nakashima, Shinichi 

A non-destructive assay system using the fast neutron direct interrogation method has been developed to put its method into practical use for the determination of uranium (U) mass contained in actual uranium-contaminated waste drums. The method is capable of measuring the fissile mass in a drum by counting the number of fission neutrons resulting from nuclear fission reactions between the fissile materials contained in a drum and thermal neutrons generated by 14 MeV fast neutrons irradiated from outside the drum. The performance test employing simulated metal waste drums demonstrated that a natural uranium mass of as low as 10 g could be detected within an error of 20% regardless of the distribution of uranium samples in the drum. A demonstration test employing actual waste drums could determine the uranium mass by using a newly developed correction method for deriving the fissile mass in a drum. It has been proved by the experimental validation tests that the assay system equipped with the correction method is very useful for the accountancy of the waste drums.