SBIR-STTR Award

There is a substantial amount of buried transuranic waste (TRU) and mixed low-level waste (MLLW) stored at DOE sites around the nation. Recent efforts to remediate this waste have been hindered by lack of exact knowledge of the details of where and which materials were buried in several of the locations. Because these materials are hazardous to humans, it would be desirable to locate them more precisely, so as to reduce the threat to workers in remediation programs. This project will demonstrate the applicability of using oilfield-type instruments, operating in steel probe holes placed in subsurface disposal areas, for locating and characterizing certain radioactive materials and mixed wastes. During Phase I, the performance of the instruments will be modeled mathematically to assess their ability to locate and characterize wastes in highly heterogeneous media. The modeling effort will be used to build algorithms that will indicate the intensity and location of waste in the subsurface disposal areas. In Phase II, the concept will be proved using actual instruments in waste holes.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
The technology should be applicable to the Department of Energy’s clean up efforts at several sites, allowing more waste to be assessed at lower cost compared to the currently-used sampling and laboratory assaying methods. It also will require significantly less time and be safer to use in the field

In order to safely remove transuranic waste (TRU) and mixed low-level waste buried in the subsurface disposal areas (SDAs), it is important to anticipate exactly what materials are directly below the surface. This project will develop neutron-based, logging tools that can identify TRU and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the vicinity of probe holes, thereby permitting safer retrieval and removal of waste from the SDA. Phase I demonstrated that the tools can identify the material, quantify its concentration, and estimate the radial distance to objects. Phase II will: (1) modify to the tools to peform reliably, (2) characterize the response of the tools to TRU and VOC materials, (3) develop data interpretation methods based on the characterization data, and (4) demonstrate the value to personnel concerned with waste removal at the SDA.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
The technology should lead to the development of a commercial logging service for SDAs that will be made available to the Department of Energy. In addition, these tools, in modified form, should be directly appicable to the metal mining industry as a complement to core drilling.