Holdup - related issues in safeguarding of nuclear materials

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · JNMM; (United States)

OSTI ID:6584234

Pillay, K K.S. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM (US)

Residual inventories of special nuclear materials (SNM) remaining in processing facilities (holdup) are recognized as an insidious problem for both safety and safeguards. This paper identifies some of the issues that are of concern to the safeguards community at-large that are related to holdup of SNM in large-scale process equipment. These issues range from basic technologies of SNM production to changing regulatory requirements to meet the needs of safeguarding nuclear materials. Although there are no magic formulas to resolve these issues, there are several initiatives that could be taken in areas of facility design, plant operation, personnel training, SNM monitoring, and regulatory guidelines to minimize the problems of holdup and thereby improve both safety and safeguards at nuclear material processing plants.

• OSTI ID: 6584234
• Journal Information: JNMM; (United States), Journal Name: JNMM; (United States) Vol. 16:4; ISSN JNMME
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050700 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Fuels Production & Properties
055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INVENTORIES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIAL UNACCOUNTED FOR
MONITORING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
PERSONNEL
REGULATIONS
SAFEGUARDS
SAFETY