Use of minor uranium isotope measurements as an aid in safeguarding a uranium enrichment cascade

Conference · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:6406054

Levin, S A; Blumkin, S; Von Halle, E

Surveillance and containment, which are indispensable supporting measures for material accountability, do not provide those charged with safeguarding an installation with the assurance beyond the shadow of a doubt that all of the input and output uranium will in fact be measured. Those who are concerned with developing non-intrusive techniques for safeguarding uranium enrichment plants under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty have perceived the possibility that data on the minor uranium isotope concentrations in an enrichment cascade withdrawal and feed streams may provide a means to either corroborate or contradict the material accountability results. A basic theoretical study has been conducted to determine whether complete isotopic measurements on enrichment cascade streams may be useful for safeguards purposes. The results of the calculations made to determine the behavior of the minor uranium isotopes (/sup 234/U and /sup 236/U) in separation cascades and the results of three plant tests made to substantiate the validity of the calculations are reviewed briefly. Based on the fact that the /sup 234/U and /sup 236/U concentrations relative to that of /sup 235/U in cascade withdrawal streams reflect the cascade flowsheet, the authors draw the conclusion that the use of the minor isotope concentration measurements (MIST) in cascade withdrawal streams is a potentially valuable adjunct to material accounting for safeguarding a /sup 235/U enrichment cascade. A characteristic of MIST which qualifies it particularly for safeguards application under the NPT is the fact that its use is entirely non-intrusive with regard to process technology and proprietary information. The usefulness of MIST and how it may be applied are discussed briefly.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6406054
• Report Number(s): IAEA-SM-231-72; CONF-781007-17
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050501 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Uranium Enrichment-- Gaseous Diffusion-- (-1989)
055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCOUNTING
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS
GASEOUS DIFFUSION PROCESS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
ISOTOPE SEPARATION PLANTS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIAL BALANCE
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SAFEGUARDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
URANIUM 234
URANIUM 235
URANIUM 236
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES