Timely Verification at Large-scale Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants

Authors: R.J. Goldston, M.E. Walker, A. Glaser

Abstract:  Commercial-scale gas centrifuge enrichment plants present a substantial challenge to the goal of timely detection and deterrence of the production of weapons-grade uranium. If one 500 tSWU/year unit of a reference 4000 tSWU/year enrichment plant were appropriately reconfigured, the plant could produce 17 SQ of weapons-usable material per month, assuming the use of ten days prior production of 5% enriched LEU, plus ongoing production in the remaining unmodified units. A toolbox of unattended verification technologies, however, could be used to detect this activity quickly, motivating the IAEA to initiate follow-up activities, potentially on a rapid time scale. These unattended measurement devices should be implemented only as needed, and must have extraordinarily low false alarm rates. They could potentially provide significant benefit to plant operators, in particular through allowing the release of LEU product cylinders without the physical presence of inspectors.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Download PPPL-5276 (pdf 5.2 MB 13 pp)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________