OSRP Applied Technologies

In addition to the OSRP developing tools and methodology for identification, packaging, transportation and storage of transuranic sealed sources, the Project staff uses a number of technologies in their efforts to recover excess and unwanted radioactive material from the environment and package them for long-term storage or disposal, including implementation of instruments and methods for accurate field identification of sources.

Special Form Capsules

Sealed sources that are special form can be shipped using U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Type A, 7A packages, which provide increased flexibility when shipping. The OSRP has three sealed source overpacks called the LANL Special Form Capsules (SFCs). The SFCs provide a method that ensure U.S. DOT special form containments of radioactive sealed sources during transport. Read more on SFCs.

Hot Cell Use

The OSRP has utilized Hot Cell technology for packaging high activity sources. Hot Cells are heavily shielded enclosures in which radioactive materials can be handled remotely, or robotically, through the use of manipulators and then viewed through shielded windows so that there is no danger to personnel handling the material. The OSRP has Hot Cell operation capability at both LANL and with an off-site subcontractor.

Neutron Spectrometer

The OSR Project uses a Source Recovery Neutron Probe (SRN), which is a special version of the BTI-Microspec-2 Neutron probe. The intent is to use the SRN probe in order to characterize the target element (for example: Be versus Li) in unknown or uncharacterized neutron sources in the field. The OSRP Neutron Spectrometer is equipped with a 1-inch by 1-inch (25mm X 25mm) NE213 liquid scintillator and can measure dose rates up to 200mRem/hr with a low energy limit of <1MeV. The completely portable system is compatible with several different probe assemblies and each probe is based on a scintillator whose light output is directly proportional to the energy on the incident radiation. The light amplitude or pulse height is digitized and recorded as an energy spectrum by a MCA.

ICS-4000 Radionuclide Identifier

The ICS-4000 Radionuclide Identifier is a hand held gamma-ray spectrometer that combines a multichannel analyzer with a high resolution Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector. The ICS-4000 uses pulse processing to improve the resolution of the CZT detector. An added CZT correction technique enhances the detection and display of high energy gamma lines. The device can detect and identify lower energy gamma line (10 keV to 200 keV) in a field strength of 50 microR/H above background in less than one minute. To effectively detect and identify gamma lines above 500 keV in less than one minute, the ICS-4000 requires a field strength of 100-200 microR/H above background. While the device has a built-in master isotope library of 160 isotopes, the device can only use a subset of 30-40 isotopes from the master library for an analysis. The ICS-4000 is programmed to automatically analyze gamma ray spectra and report detected radionuclides and dose rates. The ICS-4000 has dual analysis capability and can be utilized as both a radionuclide identifier and a MicroR and Survey Meter. An auto-ranging, alarming dose rate meter provides audible and visual indicators. The dose rate units and alarm levels are user settable. An alarm log records the time and radiation level each time an alarm is encountered. The OSRP staff uses the ICS-4000 on recoveries when unknown sources need to be characterized in the field.