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International safeguards at the Dounreay fast reactor reprocessing plant

Conference · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)
OSTI ID:5693035

International safeguards have been applied to the fast reactor reprocessing plant at Dounreay since October 1981. From October 1981 until October 1982, this was done by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Euratom under the terms of a tripartite treaty between the parties and a voluntary offer made by the United Kingdom, a weapons state, to the IAEA. Since October 1982, on-site safeguards have been applied by Euratom alone, with all periodic reports being passed on to the IAEA by Euratom. International safeguards are applied to the plant using a combination of nuclear materials accountancy, containment and surveillance techniques (C/S), and a daily inspector presence while the plant is in operation. For the purpose of nuclear materials accountancy, the plant is divided into two material balance areas. The C/X measures involve the use of seals and cameras. The plant is also used for the development of safeguarding techniques for application to future reprocessing plants. Work is currently being undertaken in support of near-real-time nuclear materials accountancy, the verification of analyses carried out by the operator, the on-line application of K-edge absorptiometry, and the use of weighing techniques to measure the quantity of nuclear material in an accountancy tank.

OSTI ID:
5693035
Report Number(s):
CONF-871110--
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA) Vol. 55; ISSN TANSA; ISSN 0003-018X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English