Research Projects

An AWCC located at the Joint Research Center in Ispra, Italy. Pictured (from left): Braden Goddard, Chris Ryan, Dr. Paolo Peerani.

A Concept for Quantitative NDA MOX Measurements Using Only Neutron Radiation

There is a desire in the world to reduce the quantity of Pu in storage by burning it as mixed oxide (MOX) fuel in nuclear reactors. For safeguards reasons, the masses of both the 235U and Pu in MOX fuel must be quantified, preferably using non-destructive assay (NDA) techniques.

Diagram of the MACSTOR system, which can store up to 24000 bundles in a 4 rows x 10 columns arrangement.

Assessment of the Fingerprinting Method for Verification of Spent Fuel in MACSTOR KN-400 CANDU Spent Fuel Dry Storage

The objectives of this study are to assess the finger printing method for verification of spent fuel and to analyze various diversion scenarios in the in MACSTOR KN-400 CANDU Spent Fuel Dry Storage System.

Correlates of Sensitive Technologies

This project was funded by the US-DOE's Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP) and is a collaboration between NSSPI Associate Director for International Programs Dr. Paul Nelson, Dr. Matt Fuhrmann, a faculty member in the TAMU Department of Political Science, and Garill Coles of Pacific Northwest National Laboratories. The project seeks to combine the capabilities of professionals in academic nuclear engineering, academic political science, and the DOE complex "to build and apply tools to investigate the unit and system level variables that correlate with the decision and ability of states to acquire sensitive nuclear technologies (e.g., enrichment and reprocessing, ENR)."

NSSPI, LANL, and ORNL researchers performing spent fuel measurements

Coupled End-to-End (CETE) Demonstration at ORNL

NSSPI is collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to develop advanced safeguards measurement techniques using the CETE demonstration. ORNL has acquired spent nuclear fuel to be reprocessed at a laboratory scale within their facilities under the Global Nuclear Engineering Partnership (GNEP). NSSPI is contributing to the overall project by providing student, faculty, and staff involvement in performing measurements, analyzing data, simulating experiments, and developing techniques.

AWCC detector at ORNL

Development of a Mass Verification Method For UREX+3a NPEX product Using an Active Well Coincidence Counter

The ability of inspection agencies and facility operators to measure mixed oxide actinide powders is becoming increasingly necessary as reprocessing spent nuclear fuel becomes more attractive. The objective of this project is to develop a technique for verifying the bulk oxide masses from the reprocessing method Uranium Extraction (UREX+3a), in particular the product material from the Neptunium Plutonium Extraction (NPEX) separations stream which contains U, Np, and Pu. In additions to measuring UREX+3a products, a methodology to verify other bulk oxide materials containing up to four different actinides will be developed.

System Schematic

Direction Sensitive Neutron Detectors for Border Monitoring

This project is part of a larger 5-year effort to advance the national capability to detect and interdict shielded HEU. These efforts focus on the development of a new detector system capable of detecting the presence, energy, and incoming direction of neutrons.

Model of cow entering squeeze chute with detectors

Effective Contamination Detection for Livestock Following a Radiological Event

This project will combine the expertise from Texas A&M University's Animal Sciences and Nuclear Engineering Departments to develop a portable gamma radiation portal monitor (RPM) specifically designed for the scanning of livestock. This work will expand on earlier research that developed radiation portal software and hardware for domestic pets. To complete this new work, researchers will review the existing states' protocols for animal monitoring following a radiological incident and design a portable system that can fit into these protocols. Radiation transport simulations will be created to determine the best configuration of the system, in addition to calculating minimum detectable activity levels. The system will be built and then field tested using livestock at Texas A&M University. Animals will also be screened using RPMs designed for humans, and their performance will be compared to the new RPM's. This work uses science-based methods to develop the first ever apparatus to evaluate contamination on a live animal following the release of a large amount of radioactivity.

$Semitransparent overlay of two fracture pattern images created using the MATLAB$

Semitransparent overlay of two fracture pattern images created using the MATLAB

Exploration of Ion-Exchanged Glass for Seals Applications

As the nuclear industry grows around the globe, it brings with it a need for more safeguards and proliferation resistant technologies. Tags and seals are an area where innovation has been relatively stagnant for the past fifteen years. A promising material to be used in the next generation of seals is stressed glass due to its relatively inexpensive cost, high strength, and potential use in a variety of applications. Furthermore, using ion exchange, complex shapes of glass can be chemically stressed for specific applications.

The STP Facility

Improved Safety Margin Characterization of Risk from Loss of Offsite Power

Dr. Paul Nelson, NSSPI Associate Director for International Programs, will be working with NSSPI Research Scientist Dr. Sunil Chirayath, along with Ernie J. Kee and Shawn S. Rodgers of the South Texas Nuclear Project Operating Company's Risk Management group. They will look at improving the current computational methodologies used to address issues arising from Loss of Offsite Power (LOOP) events. Their project will treat the completeness of analysis, the efficiency of computational estimates, and uncertainty quantification.

Source Location Algorithm diagram

Inverse Transport for Border Monitoring

Radiation portal monitors help prevent illicit trafficking of nuclear material; however, they can also impede legitimate travel and trade with a time-consuming screening process. The algorithm we are developing will allow border agents to identify the location of a radioactive source quickly and accurately so as to reduce the impact on vehicle throughput at border crossings

Powdered Concrete Samples Used for Experiments

Measurement and Modeling of Shielding and Attenuation Effects on Radiation Portal Monitors

The Second Line of Defense program has deployed a worldwide network of Radiation Portal Monitors to help stop the illicit trafficking of radioactive material. The detection of this type of material can be affected by the spatial and temporal changes in natural background radiation (NBR). Work on this project has focused on NBR effects caused by building materials used in the construction of the roadbed and surrounding structures.

The Cockroach Backpack

Miniature Distributed Detector Arrays Mounted on a Biological Sensor Platform

We propose an integrated nuclear detection system utilizing cockroach-based sensor platforms. The system is able to detect, collect, and predict activities that are related to nuclear weapons and dirty bombs.

Rawatbhata Power Plant in India, photo courtesy of the NPC of India

Motivating Factors of States Seeking to Acquire Civil Nuclear Programs

This project is directed toward using historical data to achieve a better understanding of why states acquire civil nuclear energy facilities. The central underlying idea is that such an understanding could lead to design of programs and policies that encourage states toward the peaceful use of nuclear energy (Article IV of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) without facilitating the development of nuclear weapons capability (Articles I and II of the NPT).

Abdul Qadeer Khan, former head of Pakistan's nuclear program who admitted selling nuclear technology to N.Korea, Libya, and Iran.

Motivations of Proliferation

Evaluation of the motivations for establishing and pursuing nuclear weapons programs using the case studies of North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Libya, and Ukraine.

Map showing international participation in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty

Next Generation Nonproliferation Regime

This project evaluates the effectiveness of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and advocates a new way forward for nonproliferation negotiations.

Proposed Si-based Neutron Detector Design

Novel Detection Technologies for Safeguards and Security Applications

Novel detection technologies designed specifically for safeguards and security applications can provide breakthrough solutions for critical nuclear problems. NSSPI researchers have identified interesting new detection approaches which may offer significant performance improvements for certain applications in the safeguards and security arena.

Sample Proliferation Path

Nuclear Weapons Latency

Nuclear Weapons Latency refers to the time it would take a state to develop a nuclear weapons capability given its current level of technology, resources available, and priority given to the weapon program. The goal of this project is to develop a quantitative tool that can be used to predict a state's nuclear weapons latency.

Plutonium Fingerprinting for Forensics (PuFF) Project

This project will use computational and experimental methods to determine whether it is possible to reliably predict and measure a unique intrinsic physical signature in weapons-grade plutonium (Pu) produced in reactors of foreign nuclear fuel cycles. The particular fuel types of interest are fast breeder reactor (FBR) depleted uranium (U) blankets and CANDU-type reactor natural U fuel.

Technical routes to a nuclear capability.

Post Nuclear Event Attribution and Nuclear Forensics

Developing computational and experimental methods for solving inverse problems for determining pre-event material attributes using post-event signatures and developing forensics capabilities to determine the origin of seized materials. Progress on techniques for determining nuclear facility histories from activation signatures

Sample map showing difficulty of diverting material from safeguarded activities

Proliferation Resistance Methods Development

The ability to accurately and reliably assess the proliferation threat of nuclear fuel cycle technology is critical to the nonproliferation regime and nuclear renaissance. Development of proliferation resistance methodologies allows for a quantitative assessment of a proliferation threat, allowing policy and technical experts to rationally assess the threat many situations may pose.

Schematic of the UREX+ Process ('Advanced Safeguards Approach for New Reprocessing Facilities' authored by P.C. Durst, PNNL-16674)

Real-Time Detection Methods to Monitor TRU Composition in the UREX + Process Stream

The Real-Time Detection Methods to Monitor TRU Composition in the UREX + Process Stream project consists of using traditional and innovative safeguards methods to develop a safeguards approach for the URanium EXtraction (UREX)+1a reprocessing process. This involves looking into new detection methods such as the Tensioned Meta-stable Fluid Detector (TMFD) and the methods being developed in the Coupled End-to-End Demonstration (CETE) and incorporating techniques like process monitoring.

Schematic of the Fast Breeder Reactor Fuel Cycle

Safeguards Approaches for Fast Breeder Reactors and Associated Fuel Cycle Facilities

This project is a preliminary conceptual study of design of modern safeguards directly into the planning and building of new fast breeder reactors and associated fuel cycle facilities. The project is based on a generic fast-breeder reactor design as determined only from information available in the public domain and it is directed toward a pre-conceptual design study for the integration of modern safeguards directly into the planning and building of new fast breeder reactors, and associated fuel cycle facilities, in order to permit IAEA (or other inspecting entity) to effectively and efficiently monitor and verify nuclear material in a manner that provides minimal intrusion into normal plant or facility operations.

View of the SINRD unit internals used in experimental measurements at LANL

Safeguards Instrumentation Development for Measuring Pu Content in Spent Fuel

The direct measurement of total fissile content in spent fuel assemblies is necessary to safeguard against the diversion of fissile materials to illegal weapons use and improve material accountability. The primary objective of this work is to develop and assess the sensitivity of using Self-Interrogation Neutron Resonance Densitometry (SINRD) for the measurement of the plutonium and uranium content in spent fuel assemblies and process materials.

Dr. Xu Yuanhui, the vice general manager of Chinergy, holds a uranium-filled graphite pebble at the Tsinghua University pebble bed nuclear reactor research facility, in Nankou, China. (Source: Shiho Fukada, NYT News Service)

Safeguards System Concept for Pebble-fueled High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor

The pebble bed modular reactor was first developed by Germany in the 1950s. More recently, the design has been embraced by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa. Unlike light water reactors that generate heat from fuel assemblies comprised of fuel rods, pebble-fueled HTGRs utilize thousands of 60-mm diameter fuel spheres (pebbles) comprised of TRISO particle fuel microspheres. As this reactor type is deployed across the world, adequate methods for accounting for the nuclear material within each fuel pebble must be found.

Illustration of the Smuggling Process

SHIELD (Smuggled HEU Interdiction through Enhanced anaLysis and Detection): A Framework for Developing Novel Detection Systems Focused on Interdicting Shielded HEU

This project is a five-year, multi-disciplinary effort, led by NSSPI. Its primary goal is to devise and test an innovative framework for evaluating and developing nuclear detection systems based on complete signal and information integration. This framework will lead to predictive knowledge through the integration of optimized radiation detection sensor arrays, radiation transport forward models, inverse analysis, systems and risk analysis, social science components and novel sensor approaches.

Conventional Neutron Coincidence Counter

Safeguards Instrumentation Development for Measuring Pu via Coincident Neutron-Gamma Signals

This project is a feasibility study on a portable coupled gamma-neutron coincidence counter using He-3 tubes and LaBr nanoparticles that are being developed at LANL. It could result in a new type of coincidence counter that could have more reliable results with less associated error due to the use of both types of particles.

Screenshot of the Nuclear Security and Risk Management Tool

State-Level Nuclear Security Measures

Development of the capability for a state to perform a detailed analysis of the state-wide nuclear infrastructure and determine that states vulnerability as well as determine where available resources will have the biggest impact to improve the nuclear security of the state.

Power profile of the core for Thermodynamic Analysis

Study of Future Safeguards Applications in North Korea

This project is designed to show that the nuclear fuel cycle in North Korea could have safeguards implemented to ensure that no material is used in a weapons program. The goal of the project is to completely analyze the three major components in the fuel cycle (fuel fabrication facility, 5 MWe reactor, and Radiochemical Laboratory) to determine if it is possible to set up the apparatus necessary to detect diversion of material to a weapons program

President George W. Bush and India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh exchange handshakes Thursday, March 2, 2006

Technical Analyses of the U.S.-India Nuclear Accord

Since shortly after the July 18, 2005 statement released by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, NSSPI has supported a variety of technically based analyses aimed at thoroughly understanding the implications of various directions the agreement for civil nuclear cooperation could take. Here "implications" include consequences of both the intended enhancement of India's ability to engage in normal international commerce in nuclear materials and technology, and perhaps unintended consequences of changes in India's ability to produce nuclear arms.

One portion of the Visual tool used in the Monte Carlo Network approach to SNM Acquisition.

Terrorism Pathway Analysis and Assessments

Development of tools to analyze the most likely paths a terrorist organization might take toward the acquisition of a nuclear or radiological weapon and assessing the challenges posed to a terrorist organization.

Russia and U.S. Sign Nuclear Arms Reduction Pact

The Effect of Deep U.S. Nuclear Force Reductions on Nuclear Proliferation and Deterrence

This project examines the effect of deep reductions in the U.S. nuclear arsenal on the behavior of allies and potential adversaries.

The Nonproliferation Regime as a Legal Framework

The broad objective of this project is to delineate the issues that keep the nonproliferation regime from achieving the status of a legal framework.

Plot showing the envelope operation

The Safeguards Envelope Methodology

The Safeguards Envelope Project seeks to design operating and safeguards parameters to increase the confidence as to the location and assay of nuclear material. This project helps use existing data to help further secure nuclear material for the benefit of operators and regulators.

Example Monitor Behavior for Te-127m (radioactive)

Transparency Methods Development using Fission Product Signatures

A method for unique identification of spent nuclear fuel has been developed in order to enhance transparency in international safeguards. The method relies on distinguishable differences in fission product concentrations produced in the spent fuel as a result of variations reactor power history.

Uncertainty Quantification for Nuclear Forensic Model Computations

This effort will develop the theoretical basis for the application of stochastic uncertainty quantification (UQ) methods to nuclear forensic computational models.