Experience with Fast Calorimeters at Rocky Flats

Two fast air chamber calorimeters developed by Argonne National Laboratory have been installed at the EG&G Rocky Flats Plant. Each of these instruments is capable of measuring more samples in one day than the water bath calorimeters currently in use can measure in a week. Average measurement time for plutonium samples packed in 8802 Vollrath cans (12.4 cm D x 17.8 cm H) is less than 20 minutes. Measurement precision and accuracy is estimated to be 0.004 watts or 0.2% for samples above 2 watts.. Authors: Perry, Ronald B. [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)]; Donohoue, Tom [EG and G Rocky Flats, Inc., Golden, CO (United States). Rocky Flats Plant]. DOE Contract: W-31109-ENG-38. Subjects: 055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards, Inspection, & Accountability-- Technical Aspects; 440102 -- Radiation Instrumentation-- Radiation Dosemeters; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; ACCURACY; ACTINIDE ISOTOPES; ACTINIDE NUCLEI; ACTINIDES; ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; CALORIMETRIC DOSEMETERS; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; DESIGN; DOSEMETERS; EFFICIENCY; ELEMENTS; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; HEAVY NUC