Safeguards Analysis of material Flows in a Gas Centrifuge Plant

Ciaran Cleary, Klaas van der Meer

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    Abstract

    Ciaran Cleary was given for his Senior Sophister Project a task to investigate the materials flow in a gas centrifuge enrichment plant, aiming at contributing to the further thinking of an adequate safeguards approach for that type of installation. Actually these plants are considered of a sensitive nature (we have Iran in mind) to produce weapons grade uranium. The diversion of such materials from peaceful nuclear activities, possibly in undeclared activities, is considered a major threat. Moreover the methods applied today are not fully satisfactory, and merit considerable improvement, particularly towards the quite complex safeguards approach. The method investigated the use of weighing of the feed, product and tails cylinders, and recording their evolution in time to assess the functioning of the enrichment plant as declared. Such straightforward method would be a considerable step forward for safeguards verification activities. The study was made on a theoretical basis, with certain assumptions, but should be tested and confirmed experimentally. Of course this testing felt outside the scope of this work.
    Original languageEnglish
    Awarding Institution
    • University College Dublin
    Supervisors/Advisors
    • Carchon, Roland, Supervisor
    • Patterson, Charles, Supervisor, External person
    Place of PublicationDublin, Ireland
    Publisher
    StatePublished - 1 Jan 2009

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