Waste assay using a versatile NAA System

An accelerator based, versatile, new NAA system has been designed for applications in the measurement of transuranic, heavy toxic metals, and other light elements such as beryllium for waste NDA. The lower energy accelerator provides the irradiating neutrons either via D-T or D-D reaction. These neutrons can be used directly as fast neutrons, or alternatively, thermalized using a moderating station. A fast pneumatic transfer system with a dual access rotator is used for sample shuttle amongst the irradiation port, the counting station, and an automated sample carousel. The versatile transfer system can be programmed to deliver samples to one or more count station. This feature makes a high volume and high throughput analysis scheme possible by utilizing the time effectively, for example while samples are being counted other samples can be irradiated. A count station typically is 2 - NaI (T1) and 1 - HPGe detector for high efficiency and high resolution complete scan of the element. Transuranic fissile elements are detected via the fission products gamma-ray emissions. Once the fissile materials are found, a future analysis of the sample is done to identify the isotope using a prompt gamma-ray analysis sub-system with a small pulsed neutron generator. The prompt gamma-ray system can accommodate sample sizes up to a few gallons of material. This two step analysis is advantageous where a large number of samples needed to be scanned for fissile contaminants