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DOE OSTI · 1845245

Material Control and Accounting Regulatory and Technical Considerations for Microreactors

Weinmann-Smith, Robert·Sagadevan, Athena Ashwene·Morris, Christopher·Guardincerri, Elena·Carpenter, Matthew Hollis·Gehring, Amanda Elizabeth·Trellue, Holly Renee·Mehta, Vedant Kiritkumar·Browne, Michael C.
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Abstract

New microreactors must comply with the Material Control and Accounting (MC&A) regulations in 10CFR74. The objective of MC&A is to verify that the nuclear material is not stolen or diverted to unauthorized users. Microreactors have unique features which pose new challenges to addressing these regulations. This work considers general approaches and methods for microreactor MC&A based on the reactor life cycles which have been proposed by microreactor vendors. One key aspect of MC&A is measurement of the nuclear material. Measurement of microreactor fuel could be especially important because the cores may be sealed for up to 20 years, preventing direct visual confirmation. Measurements could also be especially challenging due to the thick shielding designed around microreactors. This work evaluates a range of techniques used in medical, industrial, and nuclear fields. The cost, time, and performance of the techniques were estimated. Finally, for a promising technique of using in-core neutron detectors, the feasibility was analyzed in detail.

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Weinmann-Smith, Robert, Sagadevan, Athena Ashwene, Morris, Christopher, Guardincerri, Elena, Carpenter, Matthew Hollis, Gehring, Amanda Elizabeth, Trellue, Holly Renee, Mehta, Vedant Kiritkumar, Browne, Michael C.. 2021-12-01. Material Control and Accounting Regulatory and Technical Considerations for Microreactors. https://doi.org/10.2172/1845245

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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗