Integrating Data Sources for Improved Safeguards and Accountancy of Electrochemical Fuel Reprocessing Systems. Final Report

Technical Report · Mon Mar 30 04:00:00 UTC 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1607583· OSTI ID:1607583

Coble, Jamie Baalis ^[1]; Skutnik, Steven E ^[2]; Gilliam, Stephen Nathan ^[2]; Cooper, Michael ^[2]; Mitchell, Jonathan ^[2]

---

1. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); University of Tennessee
2. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Electrochemical reprocessing (also commonly known as “pyroprocessing”) of used nuclear fuel is an alternative to aqueous reprocessing that confers a number of advantages, including the ability to process more recently-discharged fuel, smaller resultant waste volumes, and the lack of isolation of plutonium in the product stream. While electrochemical reprocessing systems have seen a significant research and development effort, nuclear safeguards and security of these systems remains under-developed, particularly given the significant differences in operating environment and process flowsheet compared with established aqueous methods.

Objective 4 of DOE’s nuclear energy research and development activities in Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap is: “Understand and minimize the risks of nuclear proliferation and terrorism.” Material Control & Accountancy (MC&A) programs at nuclear processing plants deter and detect theft and diversion of nuclear material by both outside and inside adversaries. Empirical modeling and data analytics of online measurements and state indicators can improve the timeliness of detection and reduce the uncertainty in accountancy measures. To support the development and demonstration of such methods, data are needed that capture expected measurement values collected throughout electrochemical reprocessing facilities. A review of the available literature of current research in measurements for electrochemical reprocessing systems identified twenty-two candidate measurement methodologies, which characterize fuel/salt composition, concentrations of various isotopes and elements, and operational parameters throughout the reprocessing facility. Four primary measurement methodologies have been simulated based on either physical simulations or empirical correlations: gamma emissions, neutron emissions, hybrid k-edge densitometry (HKED), and cyclic voltammetry. Initial investigation into the use of these measures for process monitoring and detection suggests the approach is viable and worthy of further investigation. This report summarizes efforts to generate signatures of key measurements during operation of electrochemical reprocessing facilities and initial investigation of data analytics to support process monitoring, diversion detection, and accountancy.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Contributing Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: NE0008553
• OSTI ID: 1607583
• Report Number(s): DOE-UTK--020301-021
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS