Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings
There is an argument that the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) should be applied to the milling process, which is the first stage of nuclear fuel cycle, to reduce the possibility of nuclear proliferation. Therefore, this study aims to propose new and conceptual safeguards applicable to milli...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nuclear Engineering and Technology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573324004042 |
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| author | Danwoo Ko Seunguk Cheon Jiyoung Kim Seungmin Lee Seung Min Woo |
| author_facet | Danwoo Ko Seunguk Cheon Jiyoung Kim Seungmin Lee Seung Min Woo |
| author_sort | Danwoo Ko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is an argument that the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) should be applied to the milling process, which is the first stage of nuclear fuel cycle, to reduce the possibility of nuclear proliferation. Therefore, this study aims to propose new and conceptual safeguards applicable to milling facilities and design Nuclear Material Accountancy for its application. Mill tailings reach a secular equilibrium state. While approaching this equilibrium state, the ratio of each isotope changes. First, the Bateman equation was used to analyze this phenomenon and evaluate the feasibility of utilizing the specific isotope ratio to track undeclared nuclear activities. Second, the gamma spectrum analysis of mill tailings was conducted using the Monte Carlo N-Particle Code to validate undeclared nuclear activities. This study shows that the ratio of U-235/Th-234 and U-235/Pa-234m can estimate the production time within a year. Furthermore, gamma spectrum analysis of mill tailings revealed visible differences in the low-energy region due to the decay of Th-234. Finally, a conceptual Material Balance Area, Key Measurement Points, and Material Balance Period for milling facilities were designed to apply CSA. It is anticipated that applying CSA to milling facilities could enhance not only the nuclear fuel cycles but also nuclear non-proliferation system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-72b22d2cdaee4401b1fd80eebe381fd9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1738-5733 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nuclear Engineering and Technology |
| spelling | doaj-art-72b22d2cdaee4401b1fd80eebe381fd92025-01-12T05:24:39ZengElsevierNuclear Engineering and Technology1738-57332025-01-01571103156Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailingsDanwoo Ko0Seunguk Cheon1Jiyoung Kim2Seungmin Lee3Seung Min Woo4Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732, Gyeonggi-do, 17104, Republic of KoreaKorea Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 373-1 Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732, Gyeonggi-do, 17104, Republic of KoreaKorea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control, 1534 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732, Gyeonggi-do, 17104, Republic of Korea; Center for International Nuclear Policy and Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University, Gyeonggi-do, 17104, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author.There is an argument that the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) should be applied to the milling process, which is the first stage of nuclear fuel cycle, to reduce the possibility of nuclear proliferation. Therefore, this study aims to propose new and conceptual safeguards applicable to milling facilities and design Nuclear Material Accountancy for its application. Mill tailings reach a secular equilibrium state. While approaching this equilibrium state, the ratio of each isotope changes. First, the Bateman equation was used to analyze this phenomenon and evaluate the feasibility of utilizing the specific isotope ratio to track undeclared nuclear activities. Second, the gamma spectrum analysis of mill tailings was conducted using the Monte Carlo N-Particle Code to validate undeclared nuclear activities. This study shows that the ratio of U-235/Th-234 and U-235/Pa-234m can estimate the production time within a year. Furthermore, gamma spectrum analysis of mill tailings revealed visible differences in the low-energy region due to the decay of Th-234. Finally, a conceptual Material Balance Area, Key Measurement Points, and Material Balance Period for milling facilities were designed to apply CSA. It is anticipated that applying CSA to milling facilities could enhance not only the nuclear fuel cycles but also nuclear non-proliferation system.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573324004042Uranium mill tailingsNuclear safeguardsMonte Carlo N-ParticleNORMBateman equationGamma spectrum |
| spellingShingle | Danwoo Ko Seunguk Cheon Jiyoung Kim Seungmin Lee Seung Min Woo Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings Nuclear Engineering and Technology Uranium mill tailings Nuclear safeguards Monte Carlo N-Particle NORM Bateman equation Gamma spectrum |
| title | Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings |
| title_full | Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings |
| title_fullStr | Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings |
| title_short | Conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings |
| title_sort | conceptual safeguards method proposal for milling facilities based on nuclear isotopic ratios in uranium mill tailings |
| topic | Uranium mill tailings Nuclear safeguards Monte Carlo N-Particle NORM Bateman equation Gamma spectrum |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573324004042 |
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