Antineutrino monitoring of thorium reactors
Abstract
Various groups have demonstrated that antineutrino monitoring can be successful in assessing the plutonium content in water-cooled nuclear reactors for nonproliferation applications. New reactor designs and concepts incorporate nontraditional fuel types and chemistry. Understanding how these properties affect the antineutrino emission from a reactor can extend the applicability of antineutrino monitoring. Thorium molten salt reactors breed 233U, that if diverted constitute a direct use material as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The antineutrino spectrum from the fission of 233U has been estimated for the first time, and the feasibility of detecting the diversion of 8 kg of 233U, within a 30 day timeliness goal has been evaluated. The antineutrino emission from a thorium reactor operating under normal conditions is compared to a diversion scenario by evaluating the daily antineutrino count rate and the energy spectrum of the detected antineutrinos at a 25 m standoff. It was found that the diversion of a significant quantity of 233U could not be detected within the current IAEA timeliness detection goal using either tests. A rate-time based analysis exceeded the timeliness goal by 23 days, while a spectral based analysis exceeds this goal by 31 days.
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Nuclear Science and Security Consortium
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1330747
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1327554; OSTI ID: 1355350
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-JRNL-703739
Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979; JAPIAU; TRN: US1700111
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344; NA0003180; NA0000979
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Applied Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND RUEL MATERIALS; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; thorium; spectrum analysis; isotopes; beta decay; neutrons
Citation Formats
Akindele, Oluwatomi A., Bernstein, Adam, and Norman, Eric B. Antineutrino monitoring of thorium reactors. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.4963402.
Akindele, Oluwatomi A., Bernstein, Adam, & Norman, Eric B. Antineutrino monitoring of thorium reactors. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4963402
Akindele, Oluwatomi A., Bernstein, Adam, and Norman, Eric B. Fri .
"Antineutrino monitoring of thorium reactors". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4963402. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1330747.
@article{osti_1330747,
title = {Antineutrino monitoring of thorium reactors},
author = {Akindele, Oluwatomi A. and Bernstein, Adam and Norman, Eric B.},
abstractNote = {Various groups have demonstrated that antineutrino monitoring can be successful in assessing the plutonium content in water-cooled nuclear reactors for nonproliferation applications. New reactor designs and concepts incorporate nontraditional fuel types and chemistry. Understanding how these properties affect the antineutrino emission from a reactor can extend the applicability of antineutrino monitoring. Thorium molten salt reactors breed 233U, that if diverted constitute a direct use material as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The antineutrino spectrum from the fission of 233U has been estimated for the first time, and the feasibility of detecting the diversion of 8 kg of 233U, within a 30 day timeliness goal has been evaluated. The antineutrino emission from a thorium reactor operating under normal conditions is compared to a diversion scenario by evaluating the daily antineutrino count rate and the energy spectrum of the detected antineutrinos at a 25 m standoff. It was found that the diversion of a significant quantity of 233U could not be detected within the current IAEA timeliness detection goal using either tests. A rate-time based analysis exceeded the timeliness goal by 23 days, while a spectral based analysis exceeds this goal by 31 days.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4963402},
journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
number = 12,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Fri Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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