NDA PDP Program PuO{sub 2} increased particle size specification and design

Provisions in the National TRU Program Quality Assurance Program Plan require an assessment of performance for nondestructive waste assay (NDA) systems employed in the program. This requirement is in part fulfilled through the use of Performance Demonstration programs. In order to optimize the quality and quantity of information acquired during a given Performance Demonstration Program cycle, the assessment employed is to be carefully specified and designed. The assessment must yield measurement system performance data meaningful with respect to NDA system capability to accommodate attributes of interest known to occur in actual waste forms. The design and specification of the increased particle size PuO{sub 2} PDP working reference materials (WRMs) is directed at providing a straightforward mechanism to assess waste NDA system capability to account for biases introduced by large PuO{sub 2} particles. The increased particle size PuO{sub 2} PDP WRM design addresses actual waste form attributes associated with PuO{sub 2} particle size and distributions thereof, the issue of a known and stable WRM configuration and equally important appropriate certification and tractability considerations