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Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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Securing the advanced reactor fleet
Physical protection accounts for a significant portion of a nuclear power plant’s operational costs. As the U.S. moves toward smaller and safer advanced reactors, similar protection strategies could prove cost prohibitive. For tomorrow’s small modular reactors and microreactors, security costs must remain appropriate to the size of the reactor for economical operation.
Fanny Jallu, Alain Mariani, Christian Passard, Anne-Cecile Raoux, Herve Toubon
Nuclear Technology | Volume 153 | Number 1 | January 2006 | Pages 107-115
Technical Note | Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal | doi.org/10.13182/NT06-A3693
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The PROMpt, Epithermal and THErmal interrogation Experiment, version 6 (1996) (PROMETHEE 6) assay system for alpha-particle low-level waste characterization, developed for research and development purposes, includes both passive and active neutron measurement methods. Developed at the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Cadarache Centre, in cooperation with COGEMA, its aim is to reach the incinerating alpha-particle waste requirements (<50 Bq[]/g of crude waste, i.e., ~50 g of Pu per drum) in 118-l "European" drums (460 mm in diameter and 750 mm high). Good preliminary results were presented: detection limits of ~0.12 mg of effective 239Pu in total active neutron counting and 0.08 mg of effective 239Pu in coincident active neutron counting [empty cavity, measurement time of 15 min, neutron generator emission of 1.6 × 108 s-1 (4)]. Those results are improved with the use of a higher neutron source emission [GENIE 36 generator, neutron emission of 2.4 × 109 s-1 (4)] and working on the configuration of the detector units. In the total counting mode, the gain is a factor of ~4 in a cellulose matrix and 3.1 in a polyvinyl chloride matrix. In the coincidence counting mode, these factors are 1.8 and 1.7, respectively. After a very short description of PROMETHEE 6, this paper presents the last and best performances that were obtained with the increased neutron source. Studies on the detection limit variations with the use of borated shields in front of the detection units and around the neutron generator also are dealt with.