The challenges to the international safeguards regime of an expanding commercial nuclear fuel cycle are well documented: new facilities being commissioned, new types of reactors being designed and tested; and fixed inspection budgets to name just a few. To respond to these challenges, many experts are discussing pursuing novel technologies, expanding collaborative partnerships, taking advantage of expanding computational capabilities (e.g., artificial intelligence and machine learning), and establishing nontraditional partnerships. The International Safeguards program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory provides scientific, engineering, and collaborative support to research many of these responses. This support takes a wide variety of forms: technical assessments, operational testing, destructive and nondestructive analysis, international engagement, concept development, training and knowledge transfer, and on-site support. A core priority is to conduct research and development in areas of safeguards concern using existing resources (experts and facilities), testing and evaluating deployment options by building representative mock-ups and prototypes, and working directly with industry (domestic and foreign) on implementation methods. This paper describes some of the core capabilities that have been established and summarizes how they have been used to support the international safeguards regime.
Year
2020
Abstract