Control of (sup 137)Cesium contamination during remote assembly of gamma sources

摘要

Gamma sources of (sup 137)Cesium are double encapsulated in stainless steel and are used in applications such as nuclear instruments calibration, medical blood irradiators, and various research applications. The Hanford Site, operated by the US Department of Energy, re-established the United States' capability to manufacture gamma sources as a pilot production operation on December 10, 1991. This paper describes the assembly process associated with encapsulating radioactive (sup 137)Cesium in a remote environment, and the contamination control techniques and designs implemented.