Development of an integrated, unattended assay system for LWR-MOX fuel pellet trays
- and others
Four identical unattended plutonium assay systems have been developed for use at the new light-water-reactor mixed oxide (LWR-MOX) fuel fabrication facility at Hanau, Germany. The systems provide quantitative plutonium verification for all MOX pellet trays entering or leaving a large, intermediate store. Pellet-tray transport and storage systems are highly automated. Data from the ``I-Point`` (information point) assay systems will be shared by the Euratom and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Inspectorates. The I-Point system integrates, for the first time, passive neutron coincidence counting (NCC) with electro-mechanical sensing (EMS) in unattended mode. Also, provisions have been made for adding high-resolution gamma spectroscopy. The system accumulates data for every tray entering or leaving the store between inspector visits. During an inspection, data are analyzed and compared with operator declarations for the previous inspection period, nominally one month. Specification of the I-point system resulted from a collaboration between the IAEA, Euratom, Siemens, and Los Alamos. Hardware was developed by Siemens and Los Alamos through a bilateral agreement between the German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology (BMFT) and the US DOE. Siemens also provided the EMS subsystem, including software. Through the USSupport Program to the IAEA, Los Alamos developed the NCC software (NCC COLLECT) and also the software for merging and reviewing the EMS and NCC data (MERGE/REVIEW). This paper describes the overall I-Point system, but emphasizes the NCC subsystem, along with the NCC COLLECT and MERGE/REVIEW codes. We also summarize comprehensive testing results that define the quality of assay performance.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10171436
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-94-2453; CONF-940748-37; ON: DE94016156
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 35. annual meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM),Naples, FL (United States),17-20 Jul 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A brief history of NDA at the IAEA.
Advanced material accountancy glove box assay system for process material at PFPF.
Related Subjects
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
MIXED OXIDE FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
PELLETS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATION MONITORS
TESTING
ARMS CONTROL
VERIFICATION
SAFETY ENGINEERING
SAFEGUARDS
RADIOASSAY
DESIGN
055001
350300
440100
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
RADIATION INSTRUMENTATION