The Uranium Cylinder Assay System for Enrichment Plant Safeguards

Publication Date
Volume
39
Issue
1
Start Page
21
Author(s)
Karen A. Miller - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Martyn Swinhoe - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Johnna B. Marlow - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Howard Menlove - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Carlos D. Rael - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Tomonori Iwamoto - Japan Nuclear Fuel Company
Takayuki Tamura - Japan Nuclear Fuel Company
Syun Aiuchi - Japan Nuclear Fuel Company
File Attachment
V-39_1.pdf1.71 MB
Abstract
Safeguarding sensitive fuel cycle technology such as uraniumenrichment is a critical component in preventing the spread ofnuclear weapons. A useful tool for the nuclear materials accountancyof such a plant would be an instrument that measured theuranium content of UF6 cylinders. The Uranium Cylinder AssaySystem (UCAS) was designed for Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited foruse in the Rokkasho Enrichment Plant in Japan for this purpose.It uses total neutron counting to determine uranium mass in UF6cylinders given a known enrichment. This paper describes the designof UCAS, which includes features to allow for unattendedoperation. It can be used on 30B and 48Y cylinders to measuredepleted, natural, and enriched uranium. It can also be used toassess the amount of uranium in decommissioned equipment andwaste containers. Experimental measurements have been carriedout in the laboratory and these are in good agreement with theMonte Carlo modeling results.
Additional File(s) in Volume
V-39_1.pdf1.71 MB
V-39_2.pdf2 MB
V-39_3.pdf1.03 MB
V-39_4.pdf2.45 MB