Abstract
This study presents a 234U enrichment meter that uses high energy gamma and neutron count rate as measured by a portable, high-purity germanium gamma ray detector. Twenty-one 30B cylinders containing UF6 of varying origin were analyzed with an HPGe detector for high-energy gamma ray and neutron counts. Excellent correlations (R2 ≥ 0.95) between various regions of ≥3.0 MeV gamma rays, neutron count rate, and uranium enrichment were found. These neutron and high-energy gamma data are used to create calibration-dependent enrichment meters for 234U. The 234U enrichment calculated from the neutron count rate and 4 – 6 MeV gamma count rate is more accurate than methods that rely on the 120.9 keV peak which is strongly attenuated inside commercial sized UF6 cylinders. These neutron and high-energy gamma enrichment calculators can also be used to determine a 235U enrichment, assuming mass-based enrichment from natural uranium, but the results are not as accurate as the traditional 185.7 keV peak enrichment meter.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 163912 |
Journal | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |
Volume | 972 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 21 2020 |
Funding
This work was supported by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Human Capital Development Program and National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D (NA-22). This work was supported by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Human Capital Development Program and National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D (NA-22).
Funders | Funder number |
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Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D | |
National Nuclear Security Administration's | |
U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration's | |
National Nuclear Security Administration | |
Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation | NA-22 |
Keywords
- Enrichment
- High energy gamma rays
- NDA
- Neutrons
- Uranium