CERN Accelerating science

Article
Title Radiological characterisation for the clearance of burnable waste produced at CERN
Related titleRadiological characterisation for the clearance of burnable waste produced at CERN
Author(s) Harbron, Richard (CERN) ; Charousset, Renaud (CERN) ; Dumont, Gerald (CERN) ; Magistris, Matteo (CERN) ; Menaa, Nabil (CERN) ; Giunio Pisano, Paolo (CERN) ; Theis, Christian (CERN)
Publication 2023
Number of pages 7
In: Appl. Radiat. Isot. 196 (2023) 110782
DOI 10.1016/j.apradiso.2023.110782 (publication)
Subject category Health Physics and Radiation Effects
Abstract Burnable waste produced at CERN during upgrading, maintenance and dismantling campaigns may be contaminated with radioactive nuclides produced through activation of accelerator components. Here, we present a methodology for the radiological characterisation of burnable waste, which takes into account the wide range of potential activation conditions (beam energy, material composition, location, irradiation and waiting time). Waste packages are measured using a total gamma counter, with the sum of clearance limit fractions estimated using the fingerprint method. Gamma spectroscopy was found to be unsuitable for classifying this waste due to the long counting times required to identify many expected nuclides, but was retained for quality control purposes. Using this methodology, a pilot campaign was performed in which we were able to clear 13 m$^3$ of burnable waste as conventional non-radioactive waste.
Copyright/License publication: © 2023-2025 The Authors (License: CC-BY-4.0)

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 Element opprettet 2023-03-31, sist endret 2023-04-11


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