Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Verification of Uranium Mass and Enrichments of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Using the Nuclear Materials Identification System (NMIS)

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/754364· OSTI ID:754364
This paper describes how the Nuclear Materials Identification System (NMIS), developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, was used to verify the mass and enrichment of hundreds of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) metal items in storage at the Y-12 Plant. The verifications had a relative spread of {+-}5% (3 sigma) with relative mean deviations from their declared values of +0.2% for mass and {minus}0.2% for enrichment. NMIS's capability to perform quantification of HEU enabled the Y-12 Plant to meet their nuclear material control and accountability (NMC and A) requirements. These verifications were performed in the storage vault in a very time and cost effective manner with as many as 55 verifications in one shift of operation.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, TN (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP) (US); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
754364
Report Number(s):
Y/LB-16,056
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English