Year
1989
Abstract
The utilization of the Running Book Inventory (RBI) as an index of control in safeguarding reprocessing plants has been discussed in IAEA safeguards since the early 1970's. More recently, and as a logical spin-off of studies to identify alternative safeguards approaches for large reprocessing facilities, RBI has again attracted attention. In October of 1988 the NRC contracted with E. R. Johnson Associates, Inc. to conduct a study focusing on the feasibility of the RBI approach to international safeguards, to attain IAEA's goals for detecting diversion of nuclear material from large scale spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. This paper provides a preliminary report on that study. It includes a definition of terms and concepts and similarities between MUF, NRTA and RBI indices of control. A number of candidate RBI indices are identified and their behavior with regard to various loss scenarios and with reference to a typical reprocessing plant are explored through simulation techniques and utilizing existing plant data. The study emphasizes simplicity and timeliness of application and attempts to define procedures which are consistent with current or anticipated IAEA practices including the minimization of intrusion to process. Practices which have the potential of improving the sensitivity of particular indices of control are also identified. The study is useful in bringing better focus to improving the IAEA safeguards approaches as well as contributing to the development of an RBI approach that could further strengthen IAEA safeguards.