Electronics Manual for the FAST Facility Delayed Neutron Interrogator Assay System

摘要

The Fluorinel and Storage (FAST) Facility delayed neutron interrogator (DNI) is a dual-assay instrument used to assay spent fuel for a criticality control check before dissolution and also to measure waste solids for material accountability before disposal. A separate shielded cubicle located below the fluorinel fuel dissolution cell houses the DNI. Two tubes penetrate the dissolution cell floor and extend down through the instrument. The smaller tube enables precision assays on waste canisters containing small amounts of uranium, and the larger tube enables measurement of fuel packages of various shapes containing large quantities of uranium. A hard-copy operations terminal located in the crane corridor above the DNI cubicle is used to operate the DNI. This location allows the operator visual access for positioning and moving samples to and from the DNI tubes. The assay system is controlled by complex software programs (initiated through simple commands) that perform diagnostics and system checks, and then the sequential operations required to properly complete measurements. This report describes the design of the control system and electronic components composing the DNI. (ERA citation 09:032767)