Advanced Safeguards Approaches for New Reprocessing Facilities

Abstract

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A Game Theoretic Approach to Nuclear Safeguards Selection and Optimization

“…15 The facility can process spent LWR fuel from approximately ten reactors annually, separating about 2000-kg of TRU oxide product. 16 It is assumed that the facility operates continuously 24 hours per day, 240 days per year [72]. Based on this assumption, the facility produces an average of slightly greater than one significant quantity (8 kg) of plutonium per day.…”

“…The fuel is then stored until it is ready to be processed. The storage is under constant containment and surveillance (C/S), including cameras and directional radiation detectors [72].…”

Aqueous Processing Material Accountability Instrumentation

“…9 The overall process and key measurement points are described in the report of the ASA-100 group. 10 To facilitate accountability efforts, the plant is divided into multiple material balance areas over which the nuclear material inventory is determined and verified. 11 While the IAEA will make use of samples (especially at the accountability tank), the majority of their measurements will be nondestructive assay of product and waste streams, with process monitoring (tank level, flow meters, etc.)…”

Advanced Safeguards Approaches for New TRU Fuel Fabrication Facilities

“…Advanced safeguards approaches for the new reprocessing processes to be deployed at AFCF and CFTC had been addressed in the first report in this series. 3 To date, the most common TRU fuel has been fuel composed of mixed plutonium and uranium dioxide, also referred to as "MOX". However, under the Advanced Fuel Cycle projects being considered, custom-made fuels with higher contents of neptunium, americium, and curium may also be produced to evaluate if these "minor actinides" can be effectively burned and transmuted through irradiation in the ABR.…”