Effect of pulsed-column-inventory uncertainty on dynamic materials accounting
Reprocessing plants worldwide use the Purex solvent-extraction process and pulsed-column contactors to separate and purify uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear fuels. The importance of contactor in-process inventory to dynamic materials accounting in reprocessing plants is illustrated using the Allied-General Nuclear Services Plutonium Purification Process (PPP) of the now decommissioned Barnwell Nuclear Fuels Plant. This study shows that (1) good estimates of column inventory are essential for detecting short-term losses of in-process materials, but that (2) input-output (transfer) measurement correlations limit the accounting sensitivity for longer accounting periods (greater than or equal to 1 wk for the PPP). 6 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5538673
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-85-1705; CONF-8505139-3; ON: DE85012714
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCOUNTING
DATA COVARIANCES
EXTRACTION APPARATUSES
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
INVENTORIES
MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT