COMPUCEA: A HIGH-PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS PROCEDURE FOR TIMELY ON-SITE URANIUM ACCOUNTANCY VERIFICATION IN LEU FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS

Year
2007
Author(s)
H. Ottmar - Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe
S. Abousahl - JRC
P. Schwalbach - European Commission
N Albert - Institute for Transuranium Elements
K Lützenkirchen - Institute for Transuranium Elements
Abstract
COMPUCEA is a transportable system for accurate on-site analytical measurements of uranium elemental assay and enrichment during the physical inventory verification (PIV) in European Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel fabrication plants. The paper describes the main procedural steps, instrument calibration and performance of the COMPUCEA system, which presently consist of a compact L-edge densitometer and Ge well detectors for 235U enrichment measurements. The performance of room-temperature scintillation detectors, NaI and LaBr3(Ce) has recently been evaluated.