Russian NDA Reference Materials Working Group (RWG) Its Creation, Mission, Goals, and Status

MPC&A system have been developed at approved Minatom Facilities more than five years. These activities are carried out with methodical and financial support of US side. NonDestructive Assay (NDA) measurements of nuclear materials are important components of each MPC&A system in each facility. A lot of US devices and instruments for NDA measurements were shipped and installed for supplying of this part of MPC&A program. These instruments can be subdivided on following types: 0 Instruments for control of nuclear materials - portals, monitors and etc.; 0 Gamma - ray systems for determination of U enrichment and isotope composition for UPu items; Neutron Coincidence Counters for UPu mass determination; Other equipment. All users of NDA instruments in Russia faced with following hard problems: 1. Almost all shipped NDA equipment were not certified in Gosstandart of Russia. This is very important problem. Without certification NDA equipment can’t be used as legal instrument. Without certification, NDA equipment can’t be used as part of NDA methods used to formally determine characteristics of nuclear items. According to the Russian Metrology Orders and GOSTs, all investigations should be performed by using of well-characterized certified Reference Materials. Now only, weighing equipment (METTLERTOLEDO, for example) is certified in Gosstandard, only. 2. All types of NDA instruments are needed with periodical calibration. These activities are performed by using of Reference Materials. 3. All types of NDA devices are needed with procedures of Quality Measurement Control Program. These procedures are based on Reference Materials usage. The process of designing, specifying, fabricating and certifying NDA Reference Materials (NDA RM) is a complex task requiring the expertise of many disciplines. In the USA and Europe, scientists, mathematicians, managers, and accountancy experts have contributed to a complex knowledge base from which NDA standards are specified and designed to meet MPC&A needs. This knowledge base was developed over a 30-year period. For the production of NDA RM in Russia to support the dozens of NDA instruments being provided for MC&A, this complex data must be available to each Russian facility in need of NDA standards. Three workshops have been held in Russia to provide the information needed for NDA RM specification, design, and production. But the body of information is so vast, and the specific needs for the many facilities so variable, that the Russian and US workshop participants agreed that a team of experts is needed in Russia. This Russian Team would provide expert information and assistance to Russian facilities needing to obtain NDA RM to support their specific MPC&A programs. This article describes some aspects of the formation and functions of a Russian NDA RM Working Group (RWG). This RWG is directed by a Secretariat comprised of IPPE/RMTC and VNIINM persons recognized by MINATOM and by US MPC&A Project Leaders as persons experienced and knowledgeable in the preparation, certification and use of nuclear reference materials.