Technical Assessment of the Passive Neutron Enrichment Meter (PNEM) for an Unattended Cylinder Verification Station (UCVS)
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is exploring the potential roles of an Unattended Cylinder Verifications Station (UCVS) in a new generation of safeguards technology for uranium enrichment plants. The UCVS is envisioned to combine an operator accountancy scale, a nondestructive assay (NDA) system such as the Passive Neutron Enrichment Meter (PNEM), a cylinder identification system, and a surveillance system for verification of product, feed, and tails cylinders as well as continuity of knowledge at material balance area boundaries. The IAEA has identified several preliminary requirements and development questions for the UCVS. Specifically, the IAEA has identified the accuracy of the enrichment assay as the key metric for the NDA system with uncertainty targets of 3%, 6%, and 9% on product, feed, and tails cylinders, respectively. The NDA system should also provide full volume interrogation of the cylinders in order to ensure detection of partial defects within the cylinder. The development questions are concerned primarily with the sources and magnitude of the uncertainty and quantitative analysis of the interrogation depth and partial defect sensitivity. The objective of this report is to address these requirements and questions based on Monte Carlo modeling and field trial experience with the PNEM.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 1077031
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR--13-22913
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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