High Fluence Neutron Source for Nondestructive Characterization of Nuclear Waste

Abstract

We are addressing the need to measure nuclear wastes, residues, and spent fuel in order to process these for final disposition. For example, TRU wastes destined for the WIPP must satisfy extensive characterization criteria outlined in the Waste Acceptance Criteria, the Quality Assurance Program Plan, and the Performance Demonstration Plan. Similar requirements exist for spent fuel and residues. At present, no nondestructive assay (NDA) instrumentation is capable of satisfying all of the PDP test cycles (particularly for Remote-Handled TRU waste). One of the primary methods for waste assay is by active neutron interrogation. We plan to improve the capability of all active neutron systems by providing a higher intensity neutron source (by about a factor of 1,000) for essentially the same cost, power, and space requirements as existing systems. This high intensity neutron source will be an electrostatically confined (IEC) plasma device. The IEC is a symmetric sphere that was originally developed in the 1950s as a possible fusion reactor. It operates as D-T neutron generator. Although it was not believed to scale to fusion reactor levels, these experiments demonstrated a neutron yield of 2 x 1010 neutrons/second on table-top experiments that could be powered from ordinary laboratory circuits (10 kilowatts). Subsequently, the IEC physics has been extensively studied at the University of Illinois and other locations. We have established theoretically the basis for scaling the output up to 1x1011 neutrons / second. In addition, IEC devices have run for cumulative times approaching 10,000 hours, which is essential for practical application to NDA. They have been operated in pulsed and continuous mode. The essential features of the IEC plasma neutron source, compared to existing sources of the same cost, size and power consumption, are: Table 1: Present and Target Operating Parameters for Small Neutron Generators Parameter Present IEC Target or Already Proven Neutron Yield (n/s) 108 1011 Lifetime (hours) 500 10,000 Operation Pulsed Pulsed or steady state Nominal cost $k $100k Same Power 1kW 10kW