ARG-US – An RFID-Based Tracking and Monitoring System for Nuclear Material Packages*

ARG-US is a system for the management of nuclear materials that is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and the concept of a wireless sensor network. When deployed with RFID tags equipped with environmental sensors, ARG-US is capable of monitoring thousands of packages continuously and reporting incidents instantaneously. Mk-1 sensor tags for nuclear materials management have been successfully developed by the RFID development team at Argonne National Laboratory in parallel with ARG-US; the tag sensor suite currently includes temperature, humidity, seal, shock, and battery status. ARG-US has an immediate application at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), where the system would be used to monitor the ambient temperature of Model 9977 packages. The system may help NTS staff to reduce the number of leak-rate tests required for the packages, thus decreasing operating costs. To ensure the reliability of the system, long-term performance tests of both hardware and the software are being conducted in the laboratory; the results so far are highly encouraging. ARG-US has the potential to be a platform for other types of sensors, including radiation dosimeter, gas detector, and pressure monitor. Further, it has network functions that enable local ARG-US components to be connected to central servers via local networks or secured Internet. The web-based applications can be linked to multiple sites, making it possible to record and, indeed, integrate nuclear materials management activities over the entire complex. ARG-US is a powerful yet flexible system that can help to enhance and ensure the safety, safeguards, and security of the nuclear material packages and to better protect workers, the public, and the environment. Development of ARG- US devices, systems, and applications is continuing, including participation in the development of the ISO 18000-7 standard as part of the DASH7TM activities.  This work is conducted by Argonne National Laboratory, which is supporting the Packaging Certification Program of U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management, Office of Safety Management and Operations (EM-63).