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Safeguards experience in the timely and unequivocable detection if irradiated fuel transfer in CANDU reactors

Conference · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)
OSTI ID:5625674
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is continuously improving methods and techniques to verify nuclear material for safeguards purposes. Among the tasks to be implemented was the detection of irradiated fuel bundles as soon as they are discharged from Canadian deuterium-uranium (CANDU) reactors. The CANDU reactors are continuously refueled, and spent fuel from such reactors is discharged from the reactor by fueling machines to the fuel discharge or receiving bay via spent fuel discharge ports. An instrument called the spent-fuel bundle counter has been designed, constructed, and installed in most of the CANDU reactors to monitor each discharge port and to detect, count, and record the number of fuel bundles that are discharged. In some cases, bundles are returned form the storage bay to the reactor, and for safeguards purposes they should also be detected, counted, and recorded. The combination of inspection with unattended surveillance and fuel bundle accountancy allows the detection and deterrence of spent fuel diversion.
OSTI ID:
5625674
Report Number(s):
CONF-871110--
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA) Journal Volume: 55
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English