Increasing proliferation resistance of sodium fast reactor fuel cycle through use of a nuclear resonance fluorescence detector

Abstract

The proliferation resistance of a reprocessing facility can be improved by using a novel detection system that utilizes the nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) phenomenon to determine the isotopic composition of materials flowing through the plant. In an aqueous reprocessing facility, the waste stream was identified as a weak point for proliferation resistance. By identifying the isotopic composition of the waste stream and monitoring levels of plutonium and uranium, greater accountancy can be maintained. After the detection system was designed, a probabilistic risk assessment method was used to evaluate the added proliferation resistance afforded by the NRF detection system and the overall proliferation resistance of the reprocessing facility to a diversion of a small quantity of material from the waste stream by two individuals. The overall probability of success for a proliferator to divert materials from a reprocessing facility utilizing an NRF detection system is 8.73* 10-5. This is a decrease, from 3.39* 104 , over the probability of success for the proliferator if the NRF detection system is not present. This decrease in proliferator success probability demonstrates and increased proliferation resistance of the reprocessing facility. The NRF detection system is shown to increase the proliferation resistance of the reprocessing facility.