Load-cell-based weighing system for weighing 9.1 and 12.7-tonne UF6 cylinders

For the independent verification of UF6 cylinder masses by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at uranium enrichment facilities, an 18-tonne capacity Load-Cell-Based Weighing System (LCBWS) has been developed. The system was developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant and calibrated at the US National Bureau of Standards. The principal components of the LCBWS are two load cells, with readout and ancillary equipment, and a lifting fixture that couples the load cells to a cylinder. Initial experience with the system demonstrates that it has the advantages of transportability, ease of application, stability, and an attainable accuracy of 2 kg or better for a fully cylinder