Online Monitoring Of Plutonium Concentration Via Frequency Analysis

Safeguarding liquid-fueled reactors have often been viewed as a difficult task. Current reactor safeguarding regimes are focused on solid fuel systems and employ item accounting. We developed a novel means of determining plutonium concentration by examining a molten salt reactor's frequency response. This method acts as a means of online monitoring of the plutonium concentration evolution with burnup. The frequency response shifts in a predictable manner as plutonium builds up in the fuel salt. If any plutonium were to be removed, a characteristic change in the frequency response can be easily and quickly detected. This methodology is applied to a Thorcon-like reactor in this study.