Year
2012
Abstract
With the increase in demand for nuclear power development, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards have been strained as the IAEA budget has not risen to meet these demands. To continue meeting the goals of verifying normal behavior in a gas centrifuge enrichment plant (GCEP), there is a need to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of IAEA safeguards. Several studies have looked into developing new technologies to assist IAEA inspections or possibly move to unattended verification including monitoring flow rates and enrichment levels. In addition to developing monitoring equipment, it is important to understand the time scales associated with centrifuge cascade operation and changes in operation. In this study, a transient isotope separation model and fluid dynamics model of a generic GCEP is developed. These models are used to simulate a cascade operating in normal and off-normal conditions. These simulations are used to develop time scales associated with proliferation in relation to enrichment and flow measurements. This information can be useful in developing new safeguards technologies as well as helping to optimize on-site inspections.