Comparability of ISOCS instrument in radionuclide characterization at Brookhaven National Laboratory Page: 13 of 71
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COMPARABILITY OF ISOCS INSTRUMENT
IN RADIONUCLIDE CHARACTERIZATION
AT BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY
1.0 OVERVIEW1.1 Introduction
This report describes a project sponsored by the DOE
Office of Science and Technology (EM-50) under the
Accelerated Site Technology Deployment (ASTD)
initiative to deploy state-of-the-art techniques and
equipment for improved characterization of nuclear
facilities during characterization, decommissioning, and
surveys for final status certification. Measurement of
gamma emitting radionuclides is being accomplished
using a field deployable gamma spectrometer (In Situ
Object Counting System or ISOCS) manufactured by
Canberra Industries, Inc. This report assesses the
operational capabilities of the ISOCS instrument and the
comparability of the field instrument results to results
generated through the laboratory analysis of physical
samples.
1.2 Description of ASTD Project
This Accelerated Site Technology Deployment (ASTD)
project addresses some of the important issues of
radioactive material characterization through deployment
of an innovative in situ characterization technology. This
project focuses on the characterization of the
Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR), which
is currently undergoing stabilization and near-term D&D.
While the Environmental Management program of the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) includes the D&D of
many different types of nuclear facilities, the basic issues
of characterization are universal and not dependent on
site-specific dissimilarities.
The Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR) is
a graphite-moderated, air-cooled, thermal neutron
research reactor that operated at Brookhaven National
Laboratory (BNL) from 1950 through 1968. Following
shutdown, fuel was removed and the facility has been
maintained in a safe shutdown mode since then. Many of
the major BGRR sub-components are currently
scheduled for near-term decontamination and
decommissioning (D&D) including the Pile Fan Sump,
above and below ground air ducts, and auxiliary
buildings that house fans, filters, instruments, fuel
transfer canal and water treatment systems.Characterization of these facilities prior to, during, and
after dismantlement is required to minimize worker
exposure, plan for appropriate disposition of materials
and remaining facilities, and demonstrate compliance
with applicable environmental regulations. Due to the 30
years interval since shutdown, short-lived radionuclides
have undergone considerable decay. Cs-137 is the
predominant gamma-emitting radionuclide identified,
with smaller quantities of Co-60, Eu-152, Eu-154, and
Am-241 detected.
The project execution involved collaboration between
BNL, the U.S. DOE Environmental Measurements
Laboratory (EML), URS Corporation of Ronkonkoma,
NY, Canberra Industries of Meriden, CT, and Cabrera
Services. Inc of East Hartford, CT. Also participating in
the plan was Bechtel Hanford Inc., which plans to deploy
this approach for characterization of nuclear facilities at
Hanford. Successful demonstration of comparability of
the in situ technology provides an additional capability in
nuclear characterization for DOE D&D undertakings.
This deployment project also provides valuable
experience and "lessons learned" that can be shared with
facilities throughout the USDOE complex.
1.3 Report Format
This report describes the Canberra ISOCS instrument
and the mathematical characterization (calibration) of the
detector. Then a description of instrument response to
field of view, depth of source, point source response and
extended source response are described. This paper then
discusses data quality indicators the basis for analytical
comparability and demonstrates the comparability of the
ISOCS instrument analysis to laboratory sample analysis.
A discussion of the results obtained by ISOCS analysis
of objects that could not be analyzed readily by
conventional methods demonstrates a powerful
application of the instrument. A comparison of costs
associated with the analysis on the ISOCS instrument to
the costs of conventional sampling and laboratory
analysis is presented. Appendices to this report provide
details of studies performed, project organization, cost
assumptions, and a glossary of terms.Comparability of ISOCS Instrument
1
November 2000
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Kalb, P.; Luckett, L.; Miller, K.; Gogolak, C. & Milian, L. Comparability of ISOCS instrument in radionuclide characterization at Brookhaven National Laboratory, report, November 29, 2000; Upton, New York. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc720887/m1/13/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.