EMCH 550 University of Florida Introduction to Nuclear Safeguard Questions Score your response submitted for this Assignment according to the Self-Assessme
EMCH 550 University of Florida Introduction to Nuclear Safeguard Questions Score your response submitted for this Assignment according to the Self-Assessment Key provided here (next page). With a red ink pen line through items in the Self-Assessment Key that are missing, incomplete, or incorrectly stated. Mark up and annotate with a red ink pen your printed submission for this Assignment according to the assignment key. Write your name on the Self-Assessment Key that you mark up. Total the points for the assignment and write it on the Self-Assessment Key at the bottom and sign. Prepare a short narrative (less than a page, double spaced) summarizing your assessment of your submitted Assignment. Describe the strengths and weaknesses and how you plan to improve your response in future assignments and grow through this process EMCH 550
Introduction to Nuclear Safeguards
Summer 2020
Instructions: read and follow all instructions or your assignment may not be
graded:
Put your name and page number on each and every sheet
Use at least 1-inch margins all around.
Type your paper double spaced using 12 pt font, Times Roman.
Acceptable format is MSWord for short narrative, PDF for the scanned marked up of the assignment and
key.
Reminder: You are bound by the universitys honor code and may not receive
assistance in completing this assignment. It is your individual work.
1. Score your response submitted for this Assignment according to the Self-Assessment Key
provided here (next page).
a. With a red ink pen line through items in the Self-Assessment Key that are missing,
incomplete, or incorrectly stated.
b. Mark up and annotate with a red ink pen your printed submission for this Assignment
according to the assignment key.
c. Write your name on the Self-Assessment Key that you mark up.
2. Total the points for the assignment and write it on the Self-Assessment Key at the bottom and
sign.
3. Prepare a short narrative (less than a page, double spaced) summarizing your assessment of your
submitted Assignment. Describe the strengths and weaknesses and how you plan to improve
your response in future assignments and grow through this process.
4. Email the narrative (MSWord file) and scanned marked up assignment with the marked-up
assignment key/scoring (one PDF file) as instructed above. The marked-up assignment key is
page 1 of the PDF file.
5. Recall that the Self-Assessment is 25% of the grade for this assignment.
6. I will review your scoring of the assignment to be sure that it is accurate and complete and make
adjustments as needed. These adjustments will factor into the scoring of the Self-Assessment (i.e.
a correctly scored assignment and one that properly recognizes the strengths and weaknesses will
receive full credit for the Self-Assessment).
1 of 2
Assignment 5 – Self-Assessment/Grading Key
Problem 1
1 MC&A enables the detection of the loss and diversion of nuclear material in facilities subject to IAEA safeguards.
Components:
1 o measuring the quantity of material in the facility,
1 o verification of the locations and quantities of material in the facility,
1 o maintenance of the records and reports produced through MC&A,
1 o analysis inventory data MC&A to account for and determine any loss of nuclear material,
1 o investigation and resolution of any loss of nuclear material.
Implemented by:
1 o Key Measurement Points KMPs
1 o Material Balance Areas MBAs
1 o Containment and surveillance C/S
Problem 2
KMP and MBA are to detect losses of nuclear material in the nuclear facility to ensure that nuclear materials are not being
1
diverted for nuclear weapons purposes.
1 MBAs enable the accountability and measurement of nuclear materials in the entire process
1 o An inventory of the actual physical nuclear material can be established
1 o The amount of nuclear material in that area can be quantified through a material balance of the process or the area.
1 KMPs determine the actual nuclear material flow and inventory throughout the facilitys process.
1 o Flow KMPs places in the process where material quantities determined.
1 o Inventory KMPs rooms or places where the nuclear material is stored.
Problem 3
1 NDA: typically for sealed items.
Some example methods:
1 o Visual inspection
1 o photon methods (i.e. spectroscopy, imaging, or calorimetry)
1 o neutron methods (i.e. total neutron counting or resonance absorption).
Benefits:
1 o fast
1 o tend to be cheaper than DA
Disadvantages:
1 o higher uncertainty
1 DA: Most often used where bulk-material handling is performed.
Some main methods of DA:
1 o isotopic assay of the sample
1 o element assay in the sample
Advantages:
1 o lower uncertainty in the measurement over NDA typically
Disadvantages:
1 o Slower
1 o More expensive
1 o Lab facility is required.
1 C/S: Mainly the use of seals and cameras placed in MBA.
Advantages:
1 o Allow relax requirements regarding inventories and measurements since sealed/monitored.
1 o Verify actions and activities performed in these areas
Disadvantages:
1 o Time to analyze data
1 o Not physical protection from tampering, theft, or diversion
Problem 4
Inventory Difference (ID) and Material Unaccounted For (MUF) are defined by the IAEA and U.S. DOE as the difference between
1 the book inventory of nuclear material calculated from the previous physical inventory and subsequent inventory changes and
the actual current physical inventory of nuclear material.
1 o Can be: positive, negative, or zero value
1 All measurements have some level of uncertainty, can be random or systemic.
o Sampling and measurement requirements for both the operator and IAEA laboratories are guided by an International Target
1 Values (ITV) are uncertainties to be considered in judging the reliability of analytical techniques applied to industrial nuclear
and fissile material, which are subject to safeguards verification
Format and References
1 Submit 1 file via email as instructed
1 format: font correct, double spaced
1 format: name and page number
1 citation of references in the text, list of references
1 2 additional references according to instructions
44 Total graded points
1
Student name
Introduction to Nuclear Safeguard EMCH 550
Question 1: The Role and Implementation of Material Control and Accountancy
Material control implies that measures for monitoring and control are put in place to avoid or
rather detect where a possible loss is occurring or soon after it has befallen. Material control, thus
plays the role of storing, handling, and using material to reduce wastes while improving on the
accuracy of material inventory (Rosenstock, et al., n.d). On the other hand, material accountancy
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involves utilizing accounting measures as well as statistical measures to keep that understanding
of SNM quantitates present at every area within which a facility is located. According to Bean
(2009), accounting makes an estimate of the gas that goes in and out of a facility. It is
responsible for verifying that what goes in and what goes out resul in a zero difference. To
ensure there is zero differenc, accounting creates a systems that monitors or tracks and quantifies
any material loss or theft. The IAEA ensures that it puts in palce a sysstem that would match
accounting programs of the state.
Accountcy of nuclear material enables IAEA to validate the accuracy of the information
that the state provides. It implies that the state has own separate accounting system that involves
regulators, operatiors and other relevant personnel that ensure the accuracy of information in line
with that of the IAEA. In implementing the role, an accounting system utilizes Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to monotor how the materal move as well as tracking
their inventory. It determine the inventory and the flow of these materials. Programs are utilized
to meaure the material using eithr destructive, non-destructive or both techniques. Materials that
are taken into consideration in the material accountincy and control are those that are used to
make niclear weapon. They include fissile, fissionalble, and fertile matrials. The fissilemateril
include U-235, Pu-239, Pu-241, and U-233. The fissionable one include U-238, Pu-242, and Pu240. The fertile mateial monitored and controlled include Th-232 and U-238. Materal control
and Accountacy also involves meausring the uncertainty by determineing both randoom and
systematic errors, and confidence intervals. They do stratified sampling of the materials and
measure material using the Non-Destructive Asssay recniues to avoid material destruction.
Question 2: Key Measurement Points (KMP) and Material Balance Areas (MBA
KMP
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KMP refers to a particular location or area in where a nuclear material is seen in a
manner that it become possible to measure it and determine its inventory and its flow. Examples
of KMP include storage areas, and output and input areas. So, the purpose of KMPs is to help the
assessors in the identification and measurements of the inventory, and flow of nuclear materials
in a nuclear facility (Nizhnik, Braverman, Lebrun, & Rorif, n.d). KMP are used to determine or
verify the flow of a nuclear material. It means that by having a KMP, assessor can detect and
monitor how a nuclear material flows, that source and the direction of flow, as well as the rate at
which the material is flows. They are also used to measure the inventory of the nuclear material
(Rosenstock, et al., n.d). With KMP, it is easy to determine the quantity of the nuclear material
that goes in and the one that goes out of the facility. As such, the flow can help in identifying the
points through which a nuclear material under investigation passes out and enters the points of
entrance. They are also used as storage areas. Hence, KMPs are implemented as storage area in
evaluating nuclear materials by monitoring and measuring their floe and inventory.
MBA
Material Balance Areas (MBAs) refer to areas in a facility that allows for accounting to
be carried out. Thus, the purpose of MBAs is to enable assessors to undertake accounting
practices in a nuclear facility. It implementing the MBAs, KMPS are used to define them. MBAs
are used for determining the inventory of nuclear materials (International Atomic Energy
Agency, 2010). With MBAs in place, assessors can estimate the amount of nuclear material that
goes in as well as the amount that goes out of the facility. They are also used to track the transfer
of nuclear material in and out of the nuclear facility. In implementing MBAs, their size is
established depending on the quantity of nuclear material within the MBA, meaning that MBA
size must match the capacity to estimate inventory of the nuclear material within it (Nizhnik,
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Braverman, Lebrun, & Rorif, n.d). An example of an MBA in a processing facility can consist of
an area that handles storage of spent fuel and shopping or dissolution, an MBA that both input,
output and chemical separation for accountancy purpose, an MBA that handles product storage
and an MBA that handles and monitors wastes and hulls.
Question 3: Destructive and Non-Destructive Analyses and Containment and Surveillance
Sealed items require appropriate accounting methods in measuring and monitoring them
in a way that no destruction occurs to them. Non-destructive Assay (NDA) methods are the best
for application. On the other hand, destructive methods are necessary for items that cannot be
easily destroyed up interference upon surveillance (Aregbe, Mayer, & Hedberg, 2008). Examples
of NDA approaches are the calorimetric method, Coincidence neutron counting, Peak Ratio
Techniques, and Active Differential Die-Away Techniques (Shugart & King, 2017). On the other
hand, destructive assay methods (DA) destroy a little quantity of a nuclear material and include
mass spectroscopy, Alpha Spectroscopy, and chemical analysis. For the NDA approaches, they
are the major workhorse for accounting sealed items, whereas DA approaches from the pillar for
facilities that require handling of bulk materials. DA methods are slower than the NDAs, they are
costlier than the NDA, and they need laboratories. Conversely, NDA can be carried out in situ
and have higher uncertainty than the DAs.
Question 4: Inventory Difference (ID U.S. DOE) or Material Unaccounted for (MUF
IAEA)
Inventory Difference (ID) or MUF refers to the quantity of the measured amount of
nuclear material subtracted from the expected quantity of the nuclear material. This difference
comes as a result of many reasons of sources. One of the source or this error could be the
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measurement of uncertainty. It could also come a result of loss that of nuclear material, which is
one of the challenges of nuclear safeguards, particularly in countries or stats that experience little
production of nuclear power. Also, there could be a loss of nuclear material due to the lack of the
use of advanced technology in the nuclear processing facility (Gavron, 2005). The loss can also
be due to improper monitoring and maintenance of equipment that handles nuclear material in
the processing facility. The ID can also come as a result of diversion of nuclear material for
different purposes. It could be that the diversion is aimed at separating a useful nuclear material
to be used in other production processes.
Since the purpose of material accountancy is to detect and reduce or deter loss or theft of
nuclear material, the it uses ID as one way of evaluating the accuracy monitoring and
measurement of the nuclear material. It means that a high ID means less accurate implementation
of nuclear material control and accountancy, while a zero or low ID implies the accountancy of
nuclear material is high. Uncertainty determines the confidence interval within which assessors
can determine the required nuclear safeguards. A higher uncertainty indicates high propagation
the accounting computations used in the material measurement. Depending on the technique and
the method of accounting used in the calculations, the probability of achieving an accurate
evaluation depends on the propagated uncertainty.
Conclusion
Material control and accountancy reduce wastes while improving on the accuracy of
material inventory as well as maintaining the understanding of SNM quantitates present at every
area within which a facility is located. They also involve meausring the uncertainty by
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determineing both randoom and systematic errors, and confidence intervals using both NonDestructive Asssay techniques to avoid material destructiona and Destructive techniques.
KMPs help the assessors in the identification and measurements of the inventory, and
flow of nuclear materials in a nuclear facility, to determine and verify the flow of a nuclear
material. MBAs are enable assessors to undertake accounting practices in a nuclear facility. They
are used to estimate the amount of nuclear material that goes in as well as the amount that goes
out of the facility. They are also used to track the transfer of nuclear material in and out of the
nuclear facility.
Non-destructive Assay (NDA) methods are the best for application. on the other hand,
destructive methods are necessary for items that cannot be easily destroyed up interference upon
surveillance. DA methods are slower than the NDAs, they are costlier than the NDA, and they
need laboratories. Conversely, NDA can be carried out in situ and have higher uncertainty than
the DAs. (ID) or MUF means the quantity of the measured amount of nuclear material subtracted
from the expected quantity of the nuclear material. ID can be used to evaluate the accuracy
monitoring and measurement of the nuclear material. Uncertainty determines the confidence
interval within which assessors can determine the required nuclear safeguards. A higher
uncertainty indicates high propagation the accounting computations used in the material
measurement.
References
Aregbe, Y., Mayer, K., & Hedberg, M. (2008). Destructive Sample Analysis for Nuclear
Safeguards. ESARDA.
Bean, R. (2009). Material Control & Accountancy. Idaho National Laboratory.
Student name
Gavron, A. (2005). The Role of Science in Treaty Verification. Applied Radiation and Isotopes,
63, 607611.
International Atomic Energy Agency. (2010). International Target Values 2010 for
Measurement Uncertainties in Safeguarding Nuclear Materials. Vienna: International
Atomic Energy Agency.
Nizhnik, V., Braverman, E., Lebrun, A., & Rorif, F. (n.d). In Situ Object Counting System
(ISOCSTM) Technique: Cost-Effective Tool for NDA Verification in IAEA Safeguards.
Vienna: IAEA.
Rosenstock, W., Berky, W., Chmel, S., Friedrich, H., Koble, T., Risse, M., & Schumann, O.
(n.d). Hand-held Devices for the Detection of Clandestine Nuclear Material Onsite.
IAEA.
Shugart, N., & King, J. (2017). A New Modeling Technique to Analyze Safeguards
Measurements in Large Systems. Nuclear Technology, 199(2), 129-150.
doi:10.1080/00295450.2017.1334435
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EMCH 550
Introduction to Nuclear Safeguards
Summer 2020
Instructions: read and follow all instructions or your assignment may not be
graded:
Put your name and page number on each and every sheet
Use at least 1-inch margins all around.
Type your paper double spaced using 12 pt font, Times Roman.
Acceptable format is MSWord for short narrative, PDF for the scanned marked up of the assignment and
key.
Reminder: You are bound by the universitys honor code and may not receive
assistance in completing this assignment. It is your individual work.
1. Score your response submitted for this Assignment according to the Self-Assessment Key
provided here (next page).
a. With a red ink pen line through items in the Self-Assessment Key that are missing,
incomplete, or incorrectly stated.
b. Mark up and annotate with a red ink pen your printed submission for this Assignment
according to the assignment key.
c. Write your name on the Self-Assessment Key that you mark up.
2. Total the points for the assignment and write it on the Self-Assessment Key at the bottom and
sign.
3. Prepare a short narrative (less than a page, double spaced) summarizing your assessment of your
submitted Assignment. Describe the strengths and weaknesses and how you plan to improve
your response in future assignments and grow through this process.
4. Email the narrative (MSWord file) and scanned marked up assignment with the marked-up
assignment key/scoring (one PDF file) as instructed above. The marked-up assignment key is
page 1 of the PDF file.
5. Recall that the Self-Assessment is 25% of the grade for this assignment.
6. I will review your scoring of the assignment to be sure that it is accurate and complete and make
adjustments as needed. These adjustments will factor into the scoring of the Self-Assessment (i.e.
a correctly scored assignment and one that properly recognizes the strengths and weaknesses will
receive full credit for the Self-Assessment).
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