CONTINUOUS SAFEGUARD INVENTORY INSPECTION: ENHANCED SAFEGUARDS WITH REDUCED FACILITY IMPACTS

摘要

For over two decades, a continuous inventory inspection regime has been used by the International AtomicEnergy Agency (IAEA) at nuclear production facilities around the world to gain enhanced safeguardsassurance while reducing facility impacts. This approach is not compatible with the current Department ofEnergy (DOE) Order requirements for domestic safeguards. However, Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL) has recently participated in writing the physical inventory criteria for the next version of the DOEOrder and has specifically included consideration for a continuous inventory inspection regime. In addition,we are offering to demonstrate a continuous inventory inspection regime at the LANL Plutonium Facility.The primary facility benefit is the elimination of a facility-wide shutdown-cleanout inventory and eliminationof short-time-frame, high-volume inventory inspection activities. In this way, inventory inspection activitiesoccur with facility activities instead of replacing facility activities. This results in significant facility resourceleveling and productivity improvements. At the same time, significant improvements in safeguards assuranceare gained as well. This paper will cover the basic concepts of continuous inventory inspection and give anexample of how such a regime could operate in a facility, and it will compare the current periodic approach tosafeguards inspection with a continuous approach. This example will be based on a model using active vaultand processing areas. Projected operational cost savings will also be presented.