SAFEGUARDS APPLIED TO THE DESIGN OF RECOVERY PROCESSING: AN OVERVIEW OF REQUIREMENTS, CONCEPTS AND ISSUES

A project to redesign and modify portions of the Rocky Flats plutonium reprocessing facility is currently underway. Essential to the project is a design concept using modular construction methods to allow actual processing to occur concomitant with ongoing process operations. Although the design concept must be and is responsive to numerous Department of Energy and Rockwell requirements governing the design and operation of plutonium process systems, the purpose of this paper is to singularly focus on and review those safeguards requirements, concerns, and criteria which must be addressed in recovery processing design to ensure the protection and accountability of Special Nuclear Materials.