Operational Guidelines for Use of Radiation Portal Monitors in Nuclear Facilities

Year
2024
Author(s)
Anne-Laure Weber - Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire
Alex Enders - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Abstract
Leveraging decades of nuclear facility operations and robust nuclear security programs in both the United States and France, this collaborative research paper will summarize the guidance documentation created for the use of both pedestrian and vehicle radiation portal monitors (RPMs) as an engineered and administrative measure at nuclear facilities. The technical teams from IRSN and ORNL have assessed RPM performance against specifications and other reference materials, while also providing integration, installation, and sustainability considerations for RPMs to serve as an essential tool for an effective nuclear security system. This paper will also review daily and annual operational activities that can be conducted by facility operators, supported by the results of testing and evaluating both pedestrian and vehicle RPMs. The joint research provides demonstrative test results and conclusions resulting from this collaboration. The results and documentation references will highlight the identified good practices and reiterate the impact of this topic to nuclear security systems to strengthen the global nuclear security community.