A Systems Approach to Nuclear Facility Monitoring*

Sensor technology for use in nuclear facility monitoring has reaehed an advanced stage of development. Research on where to place these sensors in a facility and how to combine their outputs in a meaningful fashion does not appear to be keeping pace. (we note that this phenomenon is similar to the computing field where advances in hardware technology tend to be several years ahead of similar advances in sofiware engineering.) In this paper, we take a global view of the problem where sensor technology is viewed as only one piece of a large puzzle. Other pieces of this puzzle include the optimal location and type of sensors used in a specific facility, the rate at which sensors read information, and the risk associated with the materials/ processes at a facility. If the data are analyzed offsite, how will they be transmitted? Is real-time analysis necessary? Are we monitoring only the facility itself, or might we also monitor the processing that occurs there (e.g., tank levels and concentrations)? How are we going to combine the outputs from the various sensors to give us an accurate picture of the state of the facility? This paper will not try to answer all these questions, but rather it will attempt to stimulate thought in this area by formulating a systems approach to the problem demonstrated by a prototype system and a system proposed for an actual facility. Our focus will be on the data analysis aspect of the problem. Future work in this area should focus on recommendations and guidei lines for a monitoring system based upon the type of facility and processing that occurs there.