Design of a System for the Nondestructive Assay of {sup 233}U in Waste Drums

A system for the nondestructive assay of waste drums containing {sup 233}U has been installed in Bldg. 3019. This system employs two 3 x 3 in. NaI scintillation detectors, and standard counting techniques and analyses of the 2.6-MeV gamma radiation emitted by {sup 208}Tl. Thallium-208 is a product of the decay of {sup 232}U, which is usually present as an impurity in {sup 233}U. Results show that the system is capable of determining gram quantities of {sup 233}U in a 55-gal rotating drum. Standard deviations of the results are also reported.