Maintaining End-to-End Safeguards Continuity-of-Knowledge on Mobile, Autonomous and Remotely Operated Microreactors

This research is exploratory work to develop and demonstrate a multi-modal sensor suite for microreactors employing high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) to maintain continuity-of-knowledge (CoK) on safeguards containment, surveillance, and assay data starting from the fabrication of a fully fueled microreactor (MR) through its transportation, installation, operation and return to the originating country. The principle is to maintain situational awareness in real-time, simultaneous, and remotely transmitted monitoring data of key safeguards attributes, to include temperature, radiation, vibrational signals (inter alia) using proven Luna Photonic scintillating fiber optic bundles and associated time-domain-reflectometers. GPS data feed will also be explored allowing for real-time global tracking. Data parameters will yield physical design and performance metrics informing a Smart anti-Tamper Engineering Method (STEM) deployable in any MR design. Starting with Texas A&M’s TRIGA and AGN reactors, this research will directly capitalize on technical findings already emerging from INL’s TRIPWIRE, AR Safeguards Digital Twin (DT), AR Spent Fuel Beartooth, Sandia’s AR Safeguards (ARS) and Tamper Indicating Device programs, and IAEA’s mobile unattended monitoring technologies in use today. The long-term objective of this project is to transfer the findings to DOE’s NRIC and MRP test beds for eventual transportation testing within INL’s 890 square-mile site.