Verification of spent nuclear fuel before encapsulation and final storage

Project title: Verification of spent nuclear fuel before encapsulation and final storage
Main applicant: Sophie Grape, Division of Applied Nuclear Physics
Co-applicant: Erik Branger, Division of Applied Nuclear Physics
Grant amount: SEK 4 000 000 over a period of four years

This project is proposed as a PhD project, performed by Uppsala University (UU) in close collaboration with stakeholders such as SKB, SSM, IAEA and Euratom. The goal is to develop and propose measurement techniques and equipment that ensure proper safeguards verification of Swedish spent nuclear fuel before encapsulation and placement in difficult-to-access storage. The verification is expected to meet verification needs from the SKB, IAEA, Euratom and SSM. The following challenges will be addressed within the project:

– Describing requirements on fuel verification from the operator, regulator and inspecting bodies. Involvement with stakeholders such as the operator, the regulator and IAEA/Euratom is foreseen.

– Researching possible technical solutions for the verification will be performed. Analysis of expected performances of selected measurement techniques/instruments will be performed. Representative fuels from the inventory at Clab will be selected and modelled in the project. Fuels will also be modelled under another application submitted to SSM under this call, in order to limit the amount of time spent here creating fuel libraries. Non-destructive assay measurement techniques and instruments will be selected in discussion with stakeholders. The responses of the selected measurement techniques and instruments to the Clab inventory will be simulated and evaluated.

– Researching data authentication, transmission and hardware authentication solutions. Aspects related to data authentication, data storage, data transmission and data encryption will be targeted in collaboration with external partners, experts in this area.

– Proposing a verification solution for the Swedish spent nuclear fuel to be encapsulated and placed in difficult-to-access storage.

The PhD student is expected to, in the end of the project, propose measurement techniques and equipment that fulfil the safeguards verification obligations. Optimisation of instrumentation is not included in the project.