PNNL

Abstract

The Safeguards community recognizes that an accurate and timely measurement of accountable material mass at the head-end of the facility is critical to a modern materials control and accountability program at fuel reprocessing plants. For material accountancy, it is critical to detect both acute and chronic diversions of nuclear materials. Therefore, both on-line nondestructive (NDA) and destructive analysis (DA) approaches are desirable. Current methods for DA involve grab sampling and laboratory based column extractions that are costly, hazardous, and time consuming. Direct on-line gamma measurements of Pu, while desirable, are not possible due to contributions from other actinide and fission products. A technology for simple, online separation of targeted materials would benefit both DA and NDA measurements.