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Performing accurate measurements of fissionable material for safeguard purposes in reprocessing plants in Europe

Conference · · Nucl. Mater. Manage.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7138597
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This paper describes the results obtained over a period of about five years, of a procedure which allows accurate certification of fissile nuclide and/or element concentrations at time and place of Safeguard Inspection at a reprocessing plant, although the actual measurements are performed some weeks later in a distant Safeguards measurement laboratory. In the procedure the Safeguards Inspector at plant site adds a known amount (''spike'') or supervises the addition of isotopically different U and Pu to the unknown (hot) input/output solutions. Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry is used for the measurements of isotopic composition and fissionable isotope/element concentration at the measurement laboratory. By performing the procedure twice, with different amounts of spike added, it has been possible to confirm the expectation that, if an error occurs, it is detected in time and will prevent Safeguards Authorities to draw unjustified conclusions. At present, the attained accuracy is 0.3 percent for /sup 235/U or U-concentration and there is potential for achieving the same Pu.
Research Organization:
Central Bureau for Nuclear Measurements, Geel, Belg.
OSTI ID:
7138597
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Nucl. Mater. Manage.; (United States) Journal Volume: 5:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

050800 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCURACY
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPE DILUTION
ISOTOPES
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM
RADIOISOTOPES
SAFEGUARDS
SPECTROSCOPY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM 235
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES