NSTD Research Projects: TRP
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2007:
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Annual Reports
TRP -> Campaign/Number -> TRP 30
TRP 30. Combined Radiation Detection Methods for Assay of Higher Actinides in Separation Processes
July 2005 - Current
Research Objectives & Methods
The ultimate objective of this project is to develop technology to detect and accurately measure quantities of higher actinides in processing systems without taking frequent samples. These systems include used fuel receipt, separations batches, and pipelines. A variety of measurements may be combined to calculate flow rates of actinide elements with a to-be-determined precision. Nuclear and decay characteristics of materials during processing will be acquired, conceptual designs of monitoring systems will be developed, radiation transport studies will be conducted to develop an understanding of operational regimes, and experiments will be performed to confirm performance. Radiation transport and scoping studies will be conducted to investigate combined gamma-ray, neutron, and active and passive detection techniques to measure quantities and isotopic constituents contained during separations and intermediate storage. Scoping and design studies will first be performed using validated data sets (decay properties and reaction cross sections) and the radiation transport code MCNPX. Basic measurements will then be performed and compared to predictions. Planned experiments have not been conducted.
Researchers
- Denis Beller, Mechanical Engineering
- Charlotta Sanders, Mechanical Engineering
- Warnick Kernan, Physics
Collaborators
- Mark Schanfein, Safeguards and Security Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory
- James Laidler, National Technical Director for Separations and Waste, Argonne National Laboratory
- Thomas Ward, UNLV Science Adviser for Russian Collaborations, TechSource, Inc.
- Yaron Danon, Professor of Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Students
- Lawrence Lakeotes, PhD, Mechanical Engineering
- Timothy Beller, MS, Materials & Nuclear Engineering
- Ryan LeCounte, MS, Mechanical Engineering
- Quentin Newell, MS, Mechanical Engineering
- Pavan Attur, MS, Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Shruti Patil, MS, Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Sandra De La Cruz, Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
- Luis Durani, Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
- Brice Howard, Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
- Catherine Romano, Visiting Graduate Student, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute