DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF 55-GALLON DRUM SHUFFLER STANDARDS

Year
1994
Author(s)
James Sprinkle - Los Alamos National Laboratory
James Sprinkle - Los Alamos National Laboratory
F. Hsue - Los Alamos National Laboratory
F. Hsue - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Carl W. Hoth - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Carl W. Hoth - Los Alamos National Laboratory
S. M. Long - Los Alamos National Laboratory
S. M. Long - Los Alamos National Laboratory
R. Fernandez - Los Alamos National Laboratory
R. Fernandez - Los Alamos National Laboratory
C. Bjork - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Abstract
Suitable standards are needed to calibrate nondestructive assay instruments for the measurement of waste which contains varying levels of nuclear material. At the Los Alamos Plutonium Facility, we have designed and fabricated a single drum standard for a passive-active neutron counter (shuffler). Individual plutonium or uranium vials can be added or subtracted to a fifty five gallon drum, adapting it to a suitable range of material for calibrations. The plutonium or uranium oxide was placed into small cylindrical zirconium vials (1-in. diameter by 5-in. long) and diluted with diatomaceous earth. The vials were sealed and removed from the glove box environment without any external alpha contamination. The containers were leak tested and then placed on a segmented gamma scanner to assure homogeneous distribution of the nuclear material. The cylinders can be placed into the drum to achieve the needed ranges for calibration of the instruments.