Nondestructive assay of uranium-contaminated wastes packaged in B25 boxes

A B25 box nondestructive assay system, designed and built at the Y-12 plant, is utilized for sorting low-level radioactive waste at the 35 pCi/g total uranium activity fiducial. The primary design requirement, that it detect uranium at this concentration, has thus provided the Y-12 plant a unique approach and significant opportunity for reducing waste management costs otherwise associated with storing nonradioactive waste in low-level waste facilities. This paper describes the system, the calibration, the method for correcting energy-dependent uncollided-flux measurements for attenuation, and the operating results for fiscal year 1997 (FY97).