The scale of equipment uses may be broadly characterized by the following statistics dating to 2002:
∙550 facilities found under the safeguards were equipped with 700 nondestructive testing systems;
∙760 samples were analyzed by destructive testing;
∙400 video surveillance systems were installed at facilities;
∙24500 seals were checked;
∙230 samples were taken near 50 facilities and analyzed.
Some data on the equipment in use by the IAEA in its inspection activities are given in Tables 3.2 – 3.7.
Optical surveillance. Optical (video) surveillance equipment has an important part to play in implementation of the IAEA safeguards. It has found wide application in keeping continuity of the knowledge of nuclear materials in between inspections and has been a strong support to the means of NM accounting. By now, the Agency has installed about 800 operating video cameras (as part of 400 video systems) at 170 facilities all over the world. Table 3.2 lists some of the systems in use by the Agency at present.
The Agency adopted a program for upgrading video equipment in use. The decision was to develop surveillance systems around the electronic DCM14 unit which digitizes images, checks information for authenticity, encodes data and ensures their confidential use, compresses data, controls power of the surveillance system, etc. This unit is the best one to meet the IAEA requirements for surveillance systems. In 1998, work was initiated to create 5 base digital surveillance systems using the DCM14 unit, which would be fully consistent with the specifics of the IAEA inspection activities and immune to possible harsh environmental conditions during their operation.
71
Table 3.2
Video surveillance systems in use by the IAEA in implementation of the safeguards
System |
System name |
Application and features |
||
desig- |
|
and type |
|
|
nation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Single-camera surveillance systems with a tape-recording function |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
SIDS |
Sample |
|
System for identification of fuel samples at facilities for MOX |
|
|
Identification |
fuel fabrication. It has an interface with a neutron flux |
||
|
System |
|
measuring instrument (HLNC) and is actuated when the |
|
|
|
|
|
neutron flux exceeds an established limit. |
|
|
|
||
STVS |
Short-Term |
System built around the MXTV equipment and meant for short- |
||
|
TV System |
term surveillance. It comprises one camera and one recorder. |
||
|
|
|
||
UWTV |
Underwater |
Portable system meant for underwater video surveillance. Its |
||
|
TV |
|
major application is examination of spent fuel assemblies of |
|
|
|
|
|
CANDU reactors in a storage pool. It has appliances for |
|
|
|
|
rotation of the camera and for illumination of the object of |
|
|
|
|
surveillance. The camera is enclosed in a waterproof shell, it |
|
|
|
|
remains operative at high radiation levels, and allows reading |
|
|
|
|
small print under limited lighting conditions. The system has a |
|
|
|
|
built-in monitor to scan images in situ. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Digital single-camera surveillance systems |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALIP |
All |
in |
One |
Portable single-camera surveillance system powered from a |
|
Surveillance |
storage battery or from the mains. It comprises a camera, a |
||
|
Portable |
|
video terminal, an electronic unit DCM14, and a set of storage |
|
|
|
|
|
batteries. With the batteries fully charged, the system can |
|
|
|
|
operate for up to 100 days. Complete with a 660 Mb card, the |
|
|
|
|
ALIP system can record 40÷50 thousand images. It is installed |
|
|
|
|
in easily accessible places. |
|
|
|
|
|
ALIS |
All |
in |
One |
Single-camera surveillance system powered from the mains |
|
Surveillance |
and built around an electronic DCM14 unit. It has an interface |
||
|
|
|
|
with the inspector’s terminal. The information storage capacity |
|
|
|
|
is the same as that of ALIP. It is installed in easily accessible |
|
|
|
|
places. |
|
|
|
||
DSOS |
Digital Single– |
Surveillance system built around a DCM14 unit. The camera |
||
|
Camera |
|
may be installed in difficult-of-access places. |
|
|
Optical |
|
|
|
|
Surveillance |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
72
|
|
Table 3.2 (continued) |
|
System |
System name |
Application and features |
|
desig- |
and type |
|
|
nation |
|
|
|
|
Multi-camera surveillance system with a tape-recording function |
|
|
FTPV |
Fuel Transfer |
Underwater closed-circuit video surveillance system with a |
|
|
Video |
camera in a waterproof shell. It is used for monitoring fuel |
|
|
|
handling in pools. |
|
MOSS |
Multi–Camera |
The system can comprise up to 16 video cameras. Information is |
|
|
Optical |
tape-recorded. By 2006, the system was to be replaced by an |
|
|
Surveillance |
advanced digital DMOSS system. |
|
|
System |
|
|
MXTV |
Multiplex TV |
Multi-camera surveillance system (with up to 16 cameras). It |
|
|
Surveillance |
will be replaced by a digital server-based system SDIS. |
|
|
System |
|
|
VSEU |
Video System |
Multi-camera surveillance system in use by Euroatom. |
|
|
Multiplex |
|
|
VSPC |
Video System |
Closed-circuit system which can have up to 4 video cameras. |
|
|
Digital multi-camera surveillance systems |
|
|
DMOS |
Digital Multi– |
Digital multi-camera (normally with 6 to 16 cameras) system for |
|
|
Camera |
unattended operation and remote monitoring. It is built around a |
|
|
Optical |
DCM14 unit and has a central console. Each camera is polled by |
|
|
Surveillance |
the server. Images and data are stored on a portable medium. |
|
SDIS |
Server Digital |
Digital server-based multi-camera surveillance system built |
|
|
Image |
around a DCM14 unit, which collects images and data from |
|
|
Surveillance |
cameras (up to 6). It can be also used for checking electronic seals |
|
|
|
VACOSS. The server can sort images and data and transmit them |
|
|
|
to the Agency offices. The system is fitted up with an |
|
|
|
uninterruptible power supply unit which can support continuous |
|
|
|
operation of the system for 48 hours in the event of loss of power |
|
|
|
from the mains. |
|
|
|
Data survey systems |
|
GARS |
General |
Advanced software for viewing video-recordings. It is widely |
|
|
Advanced |
used for analyzing recordings of many video systems, such as |
|
|
Review |
ALIP, ALIS, DSOS, DMOS, SDIS, etc. It provides a user- |
|
|
Station |
friendly interface for examining video-recordings and performs |
|
|
Software |
a whole number of auxiliary functions. GARS enables an |
|
|
|
inspector to make sure that the recordings are authentic, to view |
|
|
|
simultaneously images from several cameras, to detect changes |
|
|
|
in the monitored surroundings, to decode data, etc. |
|
MORE |
Multi–system |
The station is used by inspectors to examine video-recordings |
|
|
Optical |
made by MXTV and MOSS systems. Every station of this type |
|
|
Review |
includes a computer to start programs of the MORE system, a |
|
|
Station |
monitor with functions of automatic detection of changes in the |
|
|
|
conditions, videotape recorders to examine video material, and a |
|
|
|
printer. |
|
73
Means of containment. The purpose of seals is to provide evidence of any unauthorized attempts to get access to the protected material. Seals will also serve for unique identification of protected containers. Disposable metallic, adhesive, fiber-optic, ultrasonic, and reusable electronic seals are used by the Agency personnel, depending on their specific purpose. Seal types are briefly characterized in Table 3.3.
Table 3.3
Sealing devices applied in the safeguards-related activities of the IAEA
Seal de- |
Seal type |
Application and features |
signation |
|
|
CAPS |
Metallic, |
Widely used for sealing casks, cabinets and |
|
disposable |
equipment of the Agency. This seal is of simple |
|
|
design, inexpensive; it is easily applied and removed. |
|
|
About 20 thousand such seals are used annually. |
VOID |
Adhesive, |
Made of material destroyed in removal. The seal is |
|
disposable |
used for temporary containment of material (for |
|
|
several hours). |
FBOS |
Fiber-optic seal, |
Unique owing to the random pattern of fibers. This |
|
disposable |
general-purpose seal is examined by an inspector in |
|
|
situ. |
ULCS |
Ultrasonic seal, |
Unique seal checked in situ. Used for sealing casks |
|
disposable |
with CANDU fuel, kept underwater. |
USSB |
Ultrasonic sealing |
Used for sealing casks with spent LWR fuel, kept |
|
bolt, disposable |
underwater. |
VCOS |
Variable coding |
Its memory unit saves every act of breaking and |
|
seal, electronic, |
closing the fiber-optic circuit. Used in conditions of |
|
reusable |
long-term surveillance of periodically accessible |
|
|
objects. |
Non-destructive examination of non-irradiated nuclear materials. Most materials covered by the IAEA safeguards are γ–active. Their radiation spectra show distinct lines typical of certain γ–emitting isotopes. The energy characteristics of observed spectrum lines of a material serve as a basis for identification of isotopes and, in combination with line strength measurements, allows estimating the material quantity.
Today, there are commercially available efficient instruments for analyzing γ–radiation spectra. For example, the Inspector’s Mu lti-Channel Analyzer (IMCA) employs the technology of digital signal processing and
74
can operate together with various detectors made of: high-purity germanium (HpGe), cadmium telluride (CdZnTe), and sodium iodide (NaI), which afford high, medium and low energy resolution. There is also a design option of a Miniature Multichannel Analyzer (MMCA). This instrument is much smaller and lower in weight than the previously employed Portable Multichannel Analyzer (PMCA) and, into the bargain, has three times longer time of continuous operation when powered by storage batteries.
The International Agency uses in its inspections a number of γ– spectrometers which differ mostly in their resolution as well as in the capability for subsequent information processing. Many of these spectrometers comprise the above multichannel analyzers. These instruments are briefly described in Table 3.4.
Table 3.4
Gamma–spectrometers in use by the IAEA in the safe guards-related activities
System |
System name |
Application and features |
designation |
and type |
|
HM–5 |
Hand–held |
Modern hand-held digital gamma– spectrometers |
|
Assay Probe |
allow determining dose rates, finding radiation |
|
|
sources, determining the active length of fuel rods |
|
|
and assemblies, and detecting the presence of U |
|
|
and Pu. The base option of this instrument includes |
|
|
a NaI detector. For special applications, a CdZnTe |
|
|
detector can be hooked up. It can store up to 50 |
|
|
spectra (1024 channels for each), which are entered |
|
|
into a computer for subsequent processing. |
IMCN, |
Based on the |
With an HpGe detector (IMCG), it is a |
IMCC, |
IMCA |
spectrometric device of high resolution. It is used |
IMCG |
analyzer |
for determining U enrichment and isotopic |
|
|
composition of Pu. |
MMCN, |
Based on the |
In a combination with a CdZnTe detector (MCC) |
MMCC, |
MMCA |
and a notebook (Palmtop), it is a portable (small |
MMCG |
analyzer |
enough to be carried in an ordinary briefcase), |
|
|
powerful and flexible spectrometric system suitable |
|
|
for many inspection purposes. |
The technique of neutron coincidence counting is a robust and accurate method which is widely used for determining the content of Pu and U235. Modern well-type systems of neutron coincidence counting can process
75