The Multi-Isotope Process (MIP) Monitor Project: FY13 Final Report

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1168938· OSTI ID:1168938

Meier, David E. ^[1]; Coble, Jamie B. ^[1]; Jordan, David V. ^[1]; Mcdonald, Luther W. ^[1]; Forrester, Joel B. ^[1]; Schwantes, Jon M. ^[1]; Unlu, Kenan ^[2]; Landsberger, Sheldon ^[3]; Bender, Sarah ^[2]; Dayman, Kenneth J. ^[3]; Reilly, Dallas D. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
2. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
3. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

The Multi-Isotope Process (MIP) Monitor provides an efficient approach to monitoring the process conditions in reprocessing facilities in support of the goal of “… (minimization of) the risks of nuclear proliferation and terrorism.” The MIP Monitor measures the distribution of the radioactive isotopes in product and waste streams of a nuclear reprocessing facility. These isotopes are monitored online by gamma spectrometry and compared, in near-real-time, to spectral patterns representing “normal” process conditions using multivariate analysis and pattern recognition algorithms. The combination of multivariate analysis and gamma spectroscopy allows us to detect small changes in the gamma spectrum, which may indicate changes in process conditions. By targeting multiple gamma-emitting indicator isotopes, the MIP Monitor approach is compatible with the use of small, portable, relatively high-resolution gamma detectors that may be easily deployed throughout an existing facility. The automated multivariate analysis can provide a level of data obscurity, giving a built-in information barrier to protect sensitive or proprietary operational data. Proof-of-concept simulations and experiments have been performed in previous years to demonstrate the validity of this tool in a laboratory setting for systems representing aqueous reprocessing facilities. However, pyroprocessing is emerging as an alternative to aqueous reprocessing techniques.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1168938
• Report Number(s): PNNL-22799; AF5835000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
MIP
Multi-Isotope Process Monitoring