Automated box/drum waste assay ((sup 252)Cf shuffler) through the material access and accountability boundary

摘要

For the first time, a shuffler waste-assay system has been made a part of material access and accountability boundary (MAAB). A (sup 252)Cf Pass-Thru shuffler integrated with a conveyor handling system, will process box or drum waste across the MAAB. This automated system will significantly reduce personnel operating costs because security forces will not be required at the MAAB during waste transfer. Further, the system eliminates the chance of a mix-up between measured and nonmeasured waste. This Pass-Thru shuffler is to be installed in the Westinghouse Savannah River Company 321M facility to screen waste boxes and drums for (sup 235)U. An automated conveyor will load waste containers into the shuffler, and upon verification, will transfer the containers across the MAAB. Verification will consist of a weight measurement followed by active neutron interrogation. Containers that pass low-level waste criteria will be conveyed to an accumulator section outside the MAAB. If a container fails to meet the waste criteria, it will be rejected and sent back to the load station for manual inspection and repackaging.