Evaluation report for sludge measurement by nondestructive assay (Plutonium Scrap Multiplicity Counter)(Joint research)

非破壊測定装置(PSMC)を用いたスラッジ測定に係る評価報告(共同研究)

谷川 聖史 ; 瀬谷 和仁*; 浅川 直也*; 林 宏幸*; 堀籠 和志 ; 向 泰宣 ; 北尾 貴彦 ; 中村 仁宣 ; Henzlova, D.*; Swinhoe, M. T.*; Menlove, H. O.*; Henzl, V.*

Tanigawa, Masafumi; Seya, Kazuhito*; Asakawa, Naoya*; Hayashi, Hiroyuki*; Horigome, Kazushi; Mukai, Yasunobu; Kitao, Takahiko; Nakamura, Hironobu; Henzlova, D.*; Swinhoe, M. T.*; Menlove, H. O.*; Henzl, V.*

プルトニウム転換技術開発施設の廃液処理工程で発生したスラッジ中のPu量を評価する上で、スラッジは生成上、多くの不純物(Na, Fe, Ni等)を含み不均質であるため、従来の破壊分析ではサンプリングによる代表性が乏しく、Pu量測定に係る測定不確かさが大きかった(約24%)。この測定不確かさを低減させるために、日本原子力研究開発機構と米国ロスアラモス国立研究所は共同で中性子を利用した非破壊測定装置のPlutonium Scrap Multiplicity Counter (PSMC)を用いた測定技術の開発を進めた。MOX粉末を用いた模擬スラッジやモンテカルロ法により検証等を行いPSMC検出器パラメーター(predelay, doubles gatefraction等)を最適化し、高分解能ガンマ線分光分析を組み合わせて測定した結果、含有不純物の影響はないことが確認でき、従来法と比べ新たに設定した非破壊測定方法における測定不確かさは約6.5%まで低減できた。さらに、PSMC測定値の妥当性を評価するため、IAEA立ち合いの下、ガンマ線を測定しPu量を評価するIn Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS)を用いた比較測定した結果、ISOCSとPSMCの測定値は両方の測定不確かさの範囲内で一致したため、PSMCによる測定値の妥当性が確認された。これらの結果より、本非破壊測定技術はスラッジのように不純物を多く含み、サンプリングの代表性が乏しいアイテムに有効であり、スラッジの計量管理に適用することが認められた。

The liquid waste treatment process generated sludge items at the plutonium conversion development facility. They are highly heterogeneous and contain large amounts of impurities (Na, Fe, Ni etc.). Therefore, the sludge items have very large sampling uncertainty and so the total measurement uncertainty is very large (approximately 24%). The plutonium scrap multiplicity counter (PSMC) measurement technique for sludge items was developed by joint research between the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The technical validity for sludge items using the PSMC was evaluated using various types of sample measurements and Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code calculations. The PSMC measurement parameters were found to be valid for use with sludge items and the validity of multiplicity analysis was confirmed and demonstrated through comparisons with standard MOX powder and a standard sludge. As a result, the PSMC measurement values were shown to be consistent and reasonable and the large amount of impurity (Fe, Ni etc.) did not impact the results. Therefore, the measurement uncertainty of the improved nuclear material accountancy (NMA) procedure by combined PSMC and high-resolution gamma spectrometry was shown to be 6.5%. In addition, an acceptance test was conducted using PSMC/HRGS and IAEA benchmark equipment. Measured Pu mass by both equipment agrees within the measurement uncertainty of each method, and so the validity for Pu mass measurement by PSMC/HRGS was confirmed. The above results confirm the applicability of PSMC/HRGS as an additional NMA method for sludge and a newly designed NDA procedure based on this study is applied to sludge for NMA in PCDF.