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This Manuscript is for submission to the SPIE Smart Structures/NDE Symposium, the internationally recognized forum for reporting state-of-the-art research and development in smart structures, smart materials, nondestructive evaluation, and health monitoring. Specifically, this paper is being presented in the NDE Symposium in a Conference entitled, "Nondestructive Characterization for Composite Materials, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Infrastructure, and Homeland Security II", in San Diego, Ca., March 9-13, 2008.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the primary enforcement agency protecting the nation’s ports of entry. CBP is enhancing its capability to interdict the illicit import of nuclear and radiological materials and devices that may be used by terrorists. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is providing scientific and technical support to CBP in their goal to enable rapid deployment of nuclear and radiation detection systems at U. S. ports of entry to monitor 100% of the incoming international traffic and cargo while not adversely impacting the operations or throughput of the ports. As the deployment of radiation detection systems proceeds, there is a need to adapt the baseline radiation portal monitor (RPM) system technology to operations at these diverse ports of entry. When screening produces an alarm in the primary inspection RPM, the alarming vehicle is removed from the flow of commerce and the alarm is typically confirmed in a secondary inspection RPM. The portable source identification device (PSID) is a radiation sensor panel (RSP), based on thallium-doped sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) scintillation detector and gamma spectroscopic analysis hardware and software, mounted on a scissor lift on a small truck. The lift supports a box containing a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sodium iodide detector that provides real-time isotopic identification, including neutron detectors to interdict Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and radiation dispersion devices (RDD). The scissor lift will lower the detectors to within a foot off the ground and raise them to approximately 24 feet in the air, allowing a wide vertical scanning range.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the primary enforcement agency protecting the nation’s ports of entry. CBP is enhancing its capability to interdict the illicit import of nuclear and radiological materials and devices that may be used by terrorists. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is providing scientific and technical support to CBP in their goal to enable rapid deployment of nuclear and radiation detection systems at U. S. ports of entry to monitor 100% of the incoming international traffic and cargo while not adversely impacting the operations or throughput of the ports. The U.S. ports of entry include the following vectors: land border crossings, seaports, airports, rail crossings, and mail and express consignment courier facilities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determined that a screening solution was needed for Seaport cargo containers being transported by Straddle Carriers (straddle carriers). A stationary Radiation Portal Monitor (RPM) for Straddle Carriers (SCRPM) is needed so that cargo containers can be scanned while in transit under a Straddle Carrier. The Straddle Carrier Portal operational impacts were minimized by conducting a time-motion study at the Port, and adaptation of a Remotely Operated RPM (RO-RPM) booth concept that uses logical lighting schemes for traffic control, cameras, Optical Character Recognition, and wireless technology.

An online monitor has been designed, built, and tested that is capable of measuring the residual transuranic concentrations in processed high-level wastes with a detection limit of 370 Bq/ml (10 nCi/ml) in less than six hours. The monitor measures the (,n) neutrons in the presence of gamma-ray fields up to 1 Sv/h (100 R/h). The optimum design was determined by Monte Carlo modeling and then tempered with practical engineering and cost considerations. A multiplicity counter is used in data acquisition to reject the large fraction of coincident and highly variable cosmic-ray-engendered background events and results in a S/N ratio ~1.

The inspection of sealed containers is a critical task for personnel charged with enforcing government policies, maintaining public safety, and ensuring national security. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a portable, handheld acoustic inspection device (AID) that provides non-invasive container interrogation and material identification capabilities. The AID technology has been deployed worldwide and user’s are providing feedback and requesting additional capabilities and functionality. Recently, PNNL has developed a laboratory-based system for automated, ultrasonic characterization of fluids to support database development for the AID. Using pulse-echo ultrasound, ultrasonic pulses are launched into a container or bulk-solid commodity. The return echoes from these pulses are analyzed in terms of time-of-flight and frequency content (as a function of temperature) to extract physical property measurements (acoustic velocity and attenuation) of the material under test. These measured values are then compared to a tailored database of materials and fluids property data acquired using the Velocity-Attenuation Measurement System (VAMS). This bench-top platform acquires key ultrasonic property measurements as a function of temperature and frequency. This paper describes the technical basis for operation of the VAMS, recent enhancements to the measurement algorithms for both the VAMS and AID technologies, and new measurement data from laboratory testing and performance demonstration activities. Applications for homeland security and counterterrorism, law enforcement, drug-interdiction and fuel transportation compliance activities will be discussed.

In the rail industry, sections of high strength Manganese steel are employed at critical locations in railroad networks. Ultrasonic inspections of Manganese steel microstructures are difficult to inspect with conventional means, as the propagation medium is highly attenuative, coarse-grained, anisotropic and nonhomogeneous in nature. Current in-service inspection methods are ineffective while pre-service X-ray methods (used for full-volumetric examinations of components prior to shipment) are time-consuming, costly, require special facilities and highly trained personnel for safe operations, and preclude manufacturers from inspecting statistically meaningful numbers of frogs for effective quality assurance. In-service examinations consist of visual inspections only and by the time a defect or flaw is visually detected, the structural integrity of the component may already be compromised, and immediate repair or replacement is required. A novel ultrasonic inspection technique utilizing low frequency ultrasound (100 to 500 kHz) combined with a synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) for effective reduction of signal clutter and noise, and extraction of important features in the data, has proven to be effective for these coarse grained steel components. Results from proof-of-principal tests in the laboratory demonstrate an effective means to detect and localize reflectors introduced as a function of size and depth from the top of the frog rail. Using non-optimal, commercially available transducers coupled with the low-frequency/SAFT approach, preliminary evaluations were conducted to study the effects of the material microstructure on ultrasonic propagation, sensitivity and resolution in thick section frog components with machined side-drilled holes. Results from this study will be presented and discussed.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a portable, battery-operated handheld ultrasonic device that provides non-invasive container interrogation and material identification capabilities. The Acoustic Inspection Device (AID) performs an automated analysis of the return echoes to identify the material, and detect contraband in the form of submerged packages and concealed compartments in liquid filled containers and solid-form commodities. This device utilizes a database consisting of material property measurements acquired from an automated ultrasonic fluid characterization system called the Velocity-Attenuation Measurement System (VAMS).

The design, development, and performance testing of a prototype system known as the Remotely Operated Nondestructive Examination (RONDE)system to examine the knuckle region of a Hanford DST have been completed. The design and fabrication of a scanning bridge to support the Savannah River Site utilizing similar technology was also completed.

This document defines the functions and requirements for a ultrasonic scanning system to provide an examination of the knuckle region of Hanford's double shell waste tanks, This document provides the basis for the ultrasonic concept selection, design, fabrication, and deployment methodology.

This report documents work performed at the PNNL in FY01 to support development of a Remotely Operated NDE (RONDE) system capable of inspecting the knuckle region of Hanford's DSTs. The development effort utilized commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology wherever possible and provided a transport and scanning device for implementing the SAFT and T-SAFT techniques.

This document provides an overview of the remote retrieval equipment and strategy for the retrieval of waste from Silos 1 and 2 at the Department of Energy's Fernald site in southwestern Ohio. The scope of this paper is limited to general descriptions of remote equipment specifically related in-silo retrieval. The retrieval strategy describes how the contractor team is planning to utilize the various remote subsystems to efficiently remove the waste from the silos from a philosophical standpoint as opposed to a procedural and operational standpoint. The retrieval strategy and approach is based upon the successful tank retrieval operations conducted at DOE's Oak Ridge and Hanford Sites. Lessons learned from these previous operations have been utilized in planning an approach for the Fernald Silo Retrieval Project. The equipment overview includes discussion of the retrieval system configurations together with descriptions of the robotic arm and retrieval end effectors, the conditioning and transfer pumping system, the sluicer and sluicing pump, as well as the debris retrieval system. A unique challenge being addressed as part of this project is the waste contents. Silos 1 and 2 contain two distinct layers of material that need to be retrieved. The first layer is a Bentonite (trade name BentogroutTM) cap that was placed in the silos to prevent radon migration into the dome space and out of the silos. The Bentonite layer varies, but in general it is approximately six inches deep in the center of the silo and thirty-six inches near the silo walls. The material may have dried out on the surface, and may still be wetted near the bottom of the bentonite layer. The K-65 ore tailings, which were slurried into the silos, are the remainder of the waste that is over 20' in depth. This paper provides an overview of the retrieval strategies, technologies, and techniques that will be used to safely and efficiently retrieve the waste from the Fernald Silos.