Nondestructive Testing of Encapsulated Radioactive Cesium and Strontium

A nondestructive testing (NDT) program is currently being developed at Battelle-Northwest, under the sponsorship of the Atlantic Richfield Hanford Company, to provide integrity assurance for waste capsules containing solidified radioactive cesium and strontium. Initiation of this project early in the design program for the waste capsules has permitted advanced nondestructive testing techniques to be included in the testing program. An ultrasonic inspection system has been developed and successfully tested in the laboratory using simulated specimens. Acoustic emission techniques, examined for potential use as a weld quality monitor, are promising but development is not yet complete.