Genie-PC Gamma Waste Assay Software

Features

• True multitasking windowed software.
• Menu structure for ease of operation.
• Can be used with all CANBERRA Gamma Waste Assay Systems.
• Based on CANBERRA's Genie-PC Spectroscopy Software.
• Flexible analysis sequences to handle all assay operations.
• All data, setup parameters, calibrations, analysis results stored for review or reanalysis.
• Controls automated system operation.
• Customer editable report formats.
• Multi-level password control.

Description

CANBERRA's Genie-PC based Gamma Waste Assay Software (GWAS) is designed to handle all CANBERRA gamma waste, environmental remediation, and decommissioning applications. To accomplish this the package is designed to be extremely flexible. Various counter arrangements, detector arrangements, analysis sequences, hardware control, and reports can be generated from the standard software. The advantage of this is that a customer with a variety of waste counters, or a variety of CANBERRA applications in general, can have a common look and feel between systems. Also, as a customer's assay requirements change, the software can be easily adapted to handle the new requirements.

Because the software is so flexible there are many menu options which are used to set up the desired features in the GWAS software. However, once properly defined, an easy to use set of top level menus permit an operator to easily handle the routine assay and QA requirements of a typical day-to-day operation. In addition, the GWAS multi-level password can be set up to keep the operator from seeing or accessing the setup and calibration menus.

The following sections describe some of the additional special features which make the GWAS product the only gamma waste software to consider.

Genie-PC Based

The heart of the GWAS software is CANBERRA's Genie-PC Spectroscopy software package. The GWAS software can utilize all of the features of the Genie-PC software including:

• The Editors: nuclide library editor, analysis sequence editor, certificate file editor and MCA hardware setup editor.
• All Genie-PC Analysis Algorithms: peak search and peak locate algorithms, library driven search and analysis algorithms, area correction algorithms, calibration algorithms, nuclide identification algorithms, MDA algorithms, etc.
• All Genie-PC QA trending and plotting capabilities.
• All Genie-PC MCA View Control window features.
• All CANBERRA Instrument Control Bus (ICB) NIM setup, adjustment, and status commands.
• Full storage of all data, setup parameters, calibration parameters, and analysis results in a file structure which facilitates review of data or reanalysis of questionable results.

Matrix and Live Time Correction Routines

Accurate quantification of the gamma activity in a drum requires knowledge of the matrix density. Different assay conditions may, in some cases, be best handled by different matrix correction algorithms. For this reason the GWAS software offers a variety of matrix correction algorithm options. These include average density, transmission corrections (using the traditional ASTM C1133 algorithms), and differential peak absorption.

Also waste measurements typically need to cover a large dynamic range. Using one of the standard Genie-PC area correction algorithms, the GWAS software can correct for counting losses which may not be accounted for in the standard electronic dead time correction. This algorithm can perform the correction based either on pulser input data or an external live time reference source.

Special Algorithms for Combining Spectra and Analysis Results

In almost all gamma waste systems, some type of summing or averaging of data or analysis results is required. In systems such as the Q2 low level assay system, where the spectral data from several detectors must be summed to obtain the most sensitive results, the GWAS software contains a spectrum summing algorithm which combines the data based on the energy calibration for each detector. This eliminates the requirements for tedious matching of the detector gains which was required in early systems.

On segmented assay systems the analysis results from several separate measurements must be combined to provide the total drum activity as a function of the sum of all of the individual segment results. An algorithm is provided for this function. In addition, all of the spectral data may be summed and analyzed to provide a more sensitive detection level which can identify the presence of nuclides which were not detected in the individual segment analyses.

In facilities where the gamma assay systems are being used for both an assay and a plutonium or uranium isotopics measurement using CANBERRA's MGA and MGAU software, the assay and isotopics results can be combined to provide a quantitative result for all of the isotopes.

In facilities where waste streams have been characterized so that scaling factors are available which correlate weak or non-gamma emitters to strong gamma emitting nuclides, derived nuclide libraries can be defined for each waste stream and utilized to produce complete waste stream results at the end of the assay.

The GWAS software also includes a Non Uniformity Detection Software (NUDS) module which can be used if an optional Dual Multi Spectrum Scaling (DMSS) NIM module is included with the system.

Mechanism Control Capabilities

The GWAS software communicates with CANBERRA's Model 2445 line of GE/Fanuc PLC controllers. These are used to control the mechanism and automation functions on all recent CANBERRA waste systems. A standard command format in the applications software allows one set of commands in the GWAS software to perform a variety of mechanical functions based on the programming of the PLC control system.

Relational Database

The GWAS software utilizes a commercial relational database (DB2) as a logbook to track sample information, data file locations, and key analysis results. Predefined search menus permit accessing data based on sample ID, sample type, or sample date. In addition, standard DB2 queries can be used to search or report on any other field in the database.

The logbook also keeps track of sample information after it has been archived and removed from the system disk. In this case it will indicate that the data must first be restored before the operator can reanalyze the data.

Finally, the GWAS database structure is identical to CANBERRA's Neutron Assay Software (NAS) database structure so that neutron and gamma results can be combined to maintain an integrated set of database results.

Reporting Capabilities

A variety of standard reports have been created for the standard waste system configurations at CANBERRA. However, a special feature of Genie-PC and the GWAS software is the capability for the customer to edit existing or create new report templates which will fit particular site requirements. All report structures can be easily edited in a standard ASCII editor. Any parameter which is stored in the CAM file can be included in a report. In addition, results can be scaled or combined using the basic arithmetic operators of addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.

Specifications

Minimum Computer Requirements

The following are the minimum recommended computer requirements. Operation can be greatly enhanced by using faster processors and additional memory.

• 486 Processor with 66 MHz clock speed.
• 24 MB of memory.
• OS/2 Operating System.
• 500 MB of hard disk capacity.

Complete Software Requirements

GWAS is normally sold in a package with all other required CANBERRA software. The complete package includes the following:

S400C    Genie-PC Basic Spectroscopy Software.

S401C    Genie-PC Gamma Analysis Option. 

S405C    Genie-PC Quality Assurance Software.

S431C    Genie-PC Gamma Waste Assay Software.

S480C    DB2 Relational Database.

Software also required when used in certain applications.

S432C    Genie-PC Transmission Correction Software.

S438C    Genie-PC Gamma Waste Automation Software.

Mechanism Control

For automated systems, the GWAS software only works with GE/Fanuc PLC control systems produced by CANBERRA, and which have been programmed for the GWAS command structure.