scholarly journals Acceptable standard format and content for the fundamental nuclear material control (FNMC) plan required for low-enriched uranium facilities. Revision 2

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.R. Joy
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Schutt ◽  
Norman P. Jacob

The disposition of surplus nuclear materials has become one of the most pressing issues of our time [1, 2]. Numerous agencies have invoked programs with the purpose of removing such materials from various international venues and dispositioning these materials in a manner that achieves non-proliferability. This paper describes the Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc (NFS) Nuclear Material Disposition Program, which to date has focused on a variety of Special Nuclear Material (SNM), in particular uranium of various enrichments. The major components of this program are discussed, with emphasis on recycle and return of material to the nuclear fuel cycle.


Author(s):  
Ian Adsley ◽  
Yevgeniy Tur ◽  
Alexander Klepikov ◽  
David Wells

The paper relates to the determination of the amount of nuclear material contained in a closed, concrete lined vault at the Aktau fast breeder reactor in Kazakhstan. This material had been disposed into the vault after examination in an experimental hot cell directly above the vault. In order to comply with IAEA Safeguards requirements it was necessary to determine the total quantities of nuclear materials — enriched uranium and plutonium — that were held with Kazakhstan. Although it was possible to determine the inventory of all of the accessible nuclear material — the quantity remaining in the vault was unknown. As part of the Global Threat Reduction Programme the UK Government funded a project to determine the inventory of these nuclear materials in this vault. This involved drilling three penetrations through the concrete lined roof of the vault; this enabled the placement of lights and a camera into the vault through two penetrations; while the third penetration enabled a lightweight manipulator arm to be introduced into the vault. This was used to provide a detailed 3D mapping of the dose rate within the vault and it also enabled the collection of samples for radionuclide analysis. The deconvolution of the 3D dose rate profile within the vault enabled the determination of the gamma emitting source distribution on the floor and walls of the vault. The samples were analysed to determine the fingerprint of those radionuclides producing the gamma dose — namely 137Cs and 60Co — to the nuclear materials. The combination of the dose rate source terms on the surfaces of the vault and the fingerprint then enabled the quantities of nuclear materials to be determined. The project was a major success and enabled the Kazakhstan Government to comply with IAEA Safeguards requirements. It also enabled the UK DECC Ministry to develop a technology of national (and international) use. Finally the technology was well received by IAEA Safeguards as an acceptable methodology for future studies.


Author(s):  
Tsukasa Sugita ◽  
Haruo Miyadera ◽  
Kenichi Yoshioka ◽  
Naoto Kume

A method to measure an amount of nuclear materials in fuel debris by using muon tomography has being developed for proceeding with decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. As a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the molten fuels were mixed with reactor structures and accumulated as fuel debris in the reactor buildings. There is still a large amount of fuel debris remained in each reactor. Fuel debris removal is planned in the near future and the debris will be taken out in this process. The debris need to be inspected from a viewpoint of nuclear material control. Since the debris is a mixture of fuel and other structures, it is hard to quantitate nuclear materials in debris by existing measurement method. Muons are cosmic-ray particles which have high energies, therefore, they are highly penetrative. This feature makes muon tomography sensitive to find heavy materials such as uranium or plutonium. We conducted a simulation study of applying muon tomography to measure fuel debris by using a Monte-Carlo method. A simulation model which includes muon detectors, shielding container and fuel debris was constructed to reproduce a measurement situation at the site. In conclusion, muon tomography quantitate the nuclear materials, therefore, this method should be useful for the fuel debris removal of Fukushima Daiichi reactors.


2014 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 358-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc G. Paff ◽  
Mateusz Monterial ◽  
Peter Marleau ◽  
Scott Kiff ◽  
Aaron Nowack ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 144 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. N. Ponomarev-Stepnoi ◽  
Y. S. Glushkov ◽  
V. P. Garin ◽  
G. V. Kompaniets ◽  
V. I. Nosov ◽  
...  

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