Application of a CdTe gamma-ray spectrometer to remote characterization of high-level radioactive waste tanks

Author

Addleman, R.S. ; Blewett, G.R. ; Keele, B.D. ; McClellan, C.S. ; Subrahmanyam, V.B. ; Troyer, G.L.

Author_Institution

Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA, USA

fYear

1991

fDate

2-9 Nov. 1991

Firstpage

1313

Abstract

Small, shielded cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor gamma-ray detectors have been used for in situ radiological characterization of underground high-level radioactive waste tanks. Remote measurements up to 700 R/h have been made in gamma radiation fields. Spectral data have been used to generate qualitative and quantitative radionuclide profiles of high-level radioactive waste tanks. Two electronic spectral enhancement techniques (pulse risetime discrimination and pulse risetime compensation) have been used in order to measure trace isotopes in the presence of large amounts of /sup 137/Cs Spectral resolution better than 1.5% FWHM (full width at half maximum) for the /sup 137/Cs 662-keV photopeak has been obtained.<>

Keywords

gamma-ray spectrometers; radioactive waste; semiconductor counters; /sup 137/Cs; CdTe; electronic spectral enhancement techniques; gamma-ray detectors; gamma-ray spectrometer; high-level radioactive waste tanks; pulse risetime compensation; pulse risetime discrimination; radiological characterization; remote characterization; trace isotopes; underground tanks; Cadmium compounds; Cooling; Energy measurement; Gamma ray detectors; Gamma rays; Isotopes; Probes; Pulse measurements; Radioactive waste; Spectroscopy;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, 1991., Conference Record of the 1991 IEEE

Conference_Location

Santa Fe, NM, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-0513-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/NSSMIC.1991.258832

Filename

258832