LASER DISPLACEMENT SENSOR FOR SURFACE MAPPING OF THE DOE-STD-3013 CONTAINER CLOSURE WELD

The approach developed for implementation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards for the Actinide Packaging and Storage Facility (APSF) has established the material container as the first level of containment. In combining the facility and first level containment demands, two basic requirements were generated. First, it must be shown that through the automated container handling processes, the container has not been tampered with. Second, a unique identification of the container must be established. The envisioned material flow in the facility starts with the need for an initial unique container identification, then subsequent accountability measurement(s) in one area, movement via a crane and an automatic guided vehicle to the storage area, verification of the unique ID, and verification that the container has not been tampered with. Initially, a facility required digital radiography/computed tomography system was proposed to satisfy these requirements by examination of the closure weld; however, tamper indication of the system and the need for two systems proved this concept cost prohibitive. A simpler concept was proposed to the IAEA, which is based on using a laser displacement sensor (LDS) for surface mapping of the closure welds. Initial testing was conducted using a high quality LDS system and container handling equipment which demonstrated its potential. This task is currently being developed under the IAEA’s SP-1, Task Proposal ID: 97/OB1-002, Development of Safeguards Equipment for U.S. Excess Fissile Material, Subtask #1A.