Performance Evaluation of a Commercially Available Heat Flow Calorimeter and Applicability Assessment for Safeguarding Special Nuclear Materials

Year
1998
Author(s)
David S. Bracken - Los Alamos National Laboratory
R. Biddle - Los Alamos National Laboratory,
C. Rudy - Los Alamos National Laboratory,
Abstract
The performance characteristics of a commercially available heat-flow calorimeter will be presented. The heat-flow sensors within the calorimeter are based on thermopile technology with a vendor-quoted sensitivity of 150 mV/mW. The calorimeter is a fulltwin design to compensate for ambient temperature fluctuations. The efficacy of temperature fluctuation compensations will also be detailed. Finally, an assessment of design applicability to special nuclear materials control and accountability and safeguarding will be presented.