Active single-shot interrogation of natural uranium in industrial radioactive waste using plasma focus device

An Active Interrogation by Delayed Neutron Counting (AIDNEC) system for the assay of natural uranium in industrial waste in form of civil debris has been developed using the plasma focus (PF) device as a single-shot neutron source. The methodology of the technique involves irradiation of fissile mas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Vol. 1004; p. 165362
Main Authors:	Andola, Sanjay Chandra, Niranjan, Ram, Srivastava, Rohit, Vidyasagar, Devulapalli, Singh, Amrit Pal, Lakshmi, Yelepeddi V.S., Rawool, Anand M., Singh, Imaginary K., Kaushik, Trilok Chand, Joshi, Keshaw Datt
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Elsevier B.V 11-07-2021
Subjects:	Delayed neutrons Fissile material Non-Destructive Assay Plasma focus device Single-shot neutron source Plasma focus device Single-shot neutron source Fissile material Delayed neutrons Non-Destructive Assay
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Summary:	An Active Interrogation by Delayed Neutron Counting (AIDNEC) system for the assay of natural uranium in industrial waste in form of civil debris has been developed using the plasma focus (PF) device as a single-shot neutron source. The methodology of the technique involves irradiation of fissile mass by neutrons from a PF device and counting the delayed neutron emitted as a result of induced fission. In-house developed medium energy (17 kJ) PF device and 3He detector banks have been used for neutron irradiation of waste samples containing fissile masses and counting of the delayed neutrons respectively. The detector geometry and the moderators for the source and delayed neutrons have been optimized by Monte Carlo simulations. In this work, the results of these simulations and experimental observations are presented. The industrial radioactive waste samples used in this work were in the form of sand, bricks, chunks of concrete, etc. having a sample mass of few tens of kg. With D2 gas operated PF device (average yield (2.1 ± 0.8) ×108 neutrons/shot) the detection limit is determined to be 170 g of natural uranium, i.e., 1.2 g of 235U. The feasibility of the technique using the same PF device operated with D–T gas (14.06 MeV neutrons) has been assessed by Monte Carlo simulations. As D–T fusion provides two orders more neutron yield as compared to D2 fusion, the detection limit of the present system with D–T gas is estimated to be 3.3 g of natural uranium in ∼40 kg waste. Considering this low detection limit, this technique can be used for the assay of nuclear material in all types of industrial radioactive waste produced in the fuel fabrication/handling or similar facilities. •An AIDNEC system is developed for assay of nat. U in large quantity radioactive waste.•PF based single shot neutron source facilitates contribution of short half-lived delayed neutrons precursors.•MDL of 170 g of nat. U in 40 kg waste achieved with currently developed D2 operated PF device.•Monte Carlo simulations show that MDL of 3.3 g of nat. U can be achieved with D–T operated PF source.
ISSN:	0168-9002 1872-9576
DOI:	10.1016/j.nima.2021.165362