Mobile Pit verification system design based on passive special nuclear material verification in weapons storage facilities

Conference · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2013

OSTI ID:22212734

Paul, J. N.; Chin, M. R.; Sjoden, G. E. ^[1]

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1. Nuclear and Radiological Engineering Program, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 770 State St, Atlanta, GA 30332-0745 (United States)

A mobile 'drive by' passive radiation detection system to be applied in special nuclear materials (SNM) storage facilities for validation and compliance purposes has been designed through the use of computational modeling and new radiation detection methods. This project was the result of work over a 1 year period to create optimal design specifications to include creation of 3D models using both Monte Carlo and deterministic codes to characterize the gamma and neutron leakage out each surface of SNM-bearing canisters. Results were compared and agreement was demonstrated between both models. Container leakages were then used to determine the expected reaction rates using transport theory in the detectors when placed at varying distances from the can. A 'typical' background signature was incorporated to determine the minimum signatures versus the probability of detection to evaluate moving source protocols with collimation. This established the criteria for verification of source presence and time gating at a given vehicle speed. New methods for the passive detection of SNM were employed and shown to give reliable identification of age and material for highly enriched uranium (HEU) and weapons grade plutonium (WGPu). The finalized 'Mobile Pit Verification System' (MPVS) design demonstrated that a 'drive-by' detection system, collimated and operating at nominally 2 mph, is capable of rapidly verifying each and every weapon pit stored in regularly spaced, shelved storage containers, using completely passive gamma and neutron signatures for HEU and WGPu. This system is ready for real evaluation to demonstrate passive total material accountability in storage facilities. (authors)

• Research Organization: American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 22212734
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTAINERS
DESIGN
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
LEAKS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON LEAKAGE
NEUTRONS
PLUTONIUM
PROBABILITY
RADIATION DETECTION
REACTION KINETICS
SPECIFICATIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
STORAGE FACILITIES
TRANSPORT THEORY
VALIDATION
VERIFICATION