Initial Performance of the Advanced Verification for Inventory Sample System (AVIS)

Year
2011
Author(s)
Howard O. Menlove - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Martyn T. Swinhoe - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Shoko Iso - Nuclear Material Control Center
Carlos D. Rael - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Johnna B. Marlow - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Louise G. Evans - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Abstract
This paper describes the requirements, design and initial performance of the Advanced Inventory Verification Sample System (AVIS) a non-destructive assay (NDA) system to measure small samples-powders and pellets- of bulk mixed uranium-plutonium oxide (MOX). The AVIS design has evolved from previously developed conceptual physics and engineering designs for the Inventory Sample Verification System (INVS), a safeguards system for nondestructive assay of small samples. The AVIS is an integrated gamma-neutron system. Under the auspices of the Japan Safeguards Office, (JSGO), the AVIS was jointly designed by the Nuclear Material Control Center (NMCC) and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). AVIS is intended to meet a performance specification of a total measurement uncertainty of less than 0.5% in the neutron (240Pu effective) measurement. This will allow the AVIS to replace destructive chemical analysis for many samples, with concomitant cost, exposure and waste generation savings for the facility. Modeling results and laboratory data taken to date confirming the performance of the AVIS is presented.