• Nuclear industry
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• v.6 no.1 s.35
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• pp.73-74
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• 1986

미국의회 조사국(CRS)은 지난해에 ${\ulcorner}$경수로에서의 plutonium이용 경제성${\lrcorner}$이라고 보고서를 발표했다. 이 보고서의 목적은 미국에서 농축한 사용후핵연료에서 회수한 플루토늄을 경수로에서 재사용토록 하는 계획이 유럽 및 일본에 있으며, 그 허가 발급에는 핵불확산 문제가 야기되므로 리사이클은 경제적으로 꼭 필요할 때까지는 실시해서는 안된다고 반대하는 사람들을 배경으로 플루토늄의 경수로이용에 관한 경제성을 평가하는데 있다. 평가는 다음의 세가지 경우에 대하여 실시되었다.

• 대한방사선방어학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.178-179
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• 2010

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.269-270
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.67-68
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• 2017

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.363-364
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• 2011

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.143-144
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• 2011

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1252-1258
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• 2020

This study explores the ability of non-destructive assay techniques to detect a partial material defect in which 100 g of plutonium are diverted from the center of a 1000 g can of PuO₂ powder. Four safeguards measurements techniques: neutron multiplicity counting, calorimetry, gravimetry, and gamma ray spectroscopy are used in an attempt to detect the defect. Several materials are added to the partial defect PuO₂ can to replicate signatures of the diverted material. ²⁵²Cf is used to compensate for the doubles neutron counts, ²⁴¹Am is used to compensate for the decay heat, and aluminum is used to compensate for the weight. Although, the doubles and triples difference before and after diversion are statistically indistinguishable with the AWCC in fast and thermal mode, the difference in the singles counts are statistically detectable in both modes. The relatively short half-life of ²⁵²Cf leads to a decrease (three sigma uncertainty) in the doubles neutron counts after 161 days. Combining this with the precise quantity of ²⁴¹Am needed (10.7 g) to mimic the heat signature and the extreme precision in ²⁵²Cf mass needed to defeat neutron multiplicity measurements gives reassurance in the International Atomic Energy Agency's ability to detect partial material defects.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.924-933
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• 2015

The correlation of the isotopic composition of uranium, plutonium, neodymium, and cesium with the burnup for high burnup pressurized water reactor fuels irradiated in nuclear power reactors has been experimentally investigated. The total burnup was determined by Nd-148 and the fractional $^{235}U$ burnup was determined by U and Pu mass spectrometric methods. The isotopic compositions of U, Pu, Nd, and Cs after their separation from the irradiated fuel samples were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The contents of these elements in the irradiated fuel were determined through an isotope dilution mass spectrometric method using $^{233}U$, $^{242}Pu$, $^{150}Nd$, and $^{133}Cs$ as spikes. The activity ratios of Cs isotopes in the fuel samples were determined using gamma-ray spectrometry. The content of each element and its isotopic compositions in the irradiated fuel were expressed by their correlation with the total and fractional burnup, burnup parameters, and the isotopic compositions of different elements. The results obtained from the experimental methods were compared with those calculated using the ORIGEN-S code.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.1355-1364
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• 2019

A recently published nuclear forensics methodology for source discrimination of separated weapons-grade plutonium utilizes intra-element isotope ratios and a maximum likelihood formulation to identify the most likely source reactor-type, fuel burnup and time since irradiation of unknown material. Sensitivity studies performed here on the effects of random measurement error and the uncertainty in intra-element isotope ratio values show that different intra-element isotope ratios have disproportionate contributions to the determination of the reactor parameters. The methodology is robust to individual errors in measured intra-element isotope ratio values and even more so for uniform systematic errors due to competing effects on the predictions from the selected intra-element isotope ratios suite. For a unique sample-model pair, simulation uncertainties of up to 28% are acceptable without impeding successful source-reactor discrimination. However, for a generic sample with multiple plausible sources within the reactor library, uncertainties of 7% or less may be required. The results confirm the critical role of accurate reactor core physics, fuel burnup simulations and experimental measurements in the proposed methodology where increased simulation uncertainty is found to significantly affect the capability to discriminate between the reactors in the library.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.235-246
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• 2023

Neutron resonance transmission technique was applied for assaying isotopic fissile materials produced in the pyro-process. In each process of the pyro-process, a different composition of the fissile material is produced. Simulation was basically performed on ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu assay for TRU-RE product, hull waste, and uranium addition. The resonance energies were evaluated for uranium and plutonium in the simulation, and the linearity in the detection response was examined on the fissile content variation. The linear resonance energies were determined for the analysis of ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu on the different fissile materials. For enriched TRU-RE assay, the sample condition was suggested; The sample density, content, and thickness are the key factors to obtain accurate fissile content. The detection signal is discriminated for uranium and plutonium in neutron resonance technique. The transmitted signal for fissile resonance has a direct relation with the content of fissile. The simulation results indicated that the neutron resonance technique is promising to analyze ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu for various types of the pyro-process material. An accurate fissile assay will contribute toward safeguarding the pyro-processing system.