Applications of NDA instrumentation in the Y-12 highly enriched uranium recovery facility

This paper discusses an alternative to weighing and sampling which is coming into increasing use in Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant for obtaining the uranium content of heterogeneous compounds and mixtures. This technique, nondestructive analyses (NDA), is based on measuring the natural or induced radioactivity of the uranium contained in the by-product materials. Nondestructive analyses equipment has been used in Y-12 for many years for performing certain qualitative measurements. For example, materials for discard are routinely checked by NDA to verify that their uranium contamination is negligible. Recently, however, three quantitative NDA systems have been put into operation in Y-12. These include systems for measurement of low- and high-density solids and a system for analysis of solution samples. Also, a study of the feasibility of measuring the uranium content of solution streams in the uranium recovery facility has been carried out. These items are briefly discussed