The development of cost-effective methods for long-term safeguarding of spent reactor fuel in temporarystorage is necessary in order for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to meet all demands forsafeguards resources. To this end, we have developed a measurement system to verify spent Canadiandeuterium-uranium (CANDU) type fuel in sealed long-term storage casks. Given the large number of spentfuelstorage casks to be monitored, we have attempted to minimize the cost of the proposed system while stillproviding a useful detection signature from the entire storage cask. The detection system described consistsof three small 3He neutron counters placed inside the storage cask in IAEA reverification tubes. The limitingfactor on the size of each detector is a bend in the reverification tube around which the detector must pass.Each detector will be shielded with lead to reduce the gamma dose rate below 30 R/hr while still providing asignificant neutron detection signal. Specially designed electronics will be designed at Los Alamos NationalLaboratory to process the signals from the 3He neutron counters and store data. The electronics will belocated outside the cask to minimize gamma dose, maximize long-term stability, and provide for ease ofmaintenance. Monte Carlo calculations of neutron transport through a CANDU spent-fuel storage casksuggest that a single string of neutron detectors will provide visibility of better than 90% of the cask contentsat a 5% detection level.
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