Advanced NDA Technology for Remotely Handled Transuranic and Mixed Waste

65624 The disposal of remotely handled transuranic waste and other waste materials requires advanced technology to properly certify the wastes. An advanced neutron interrogation system for the non-destructive assay of these wastes can provide reliable information in a high-radiation environment. Therefore, this project will develop an advanced neutron generator that meets the demanding requirements for the analysis of transuranic waste, as well as wastes containing organic materials and materials of importance under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Phase I (1) demonstrated the technical feasibility of operating the proposed pulsed neutron generator with the parameters required for remotely-handled waste certification; (2) designed an engineering prototype pulsed neutron generator system suitable for nuclear waste certification; and (3) provided the preliminary design for a complete non-destructive assay system that can be used to demonstrate the new technology in a real-world environment. Phase II will complete the development and demonstrate a new low-energy neutron generator with greatly enhanced measurement capabilities for remotely handled waste. The measurement system will be life-tested and optimized, and final demonstrations will be performed at the remotely-handled waste facility at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The advanced neutron generator should form a foundation for reliable certification for remotely-handled nuclear waste. Areas of applications include clean-up of Department of Energy facilities, waste handling organizations in other countries, industrial process control, and mine detection