Systematic Test & Evaluation of Metal Detectors

Up-to-date and accurate information on available technology is urgently needed to help Mine Action Centres (MACs) and donors in the planning of demining activities and in the selection of the best-suited type of demining equipment. For this reason, the European Commission (EC) is starting a project to evaluate the performance of metal detectors on the market today

innovative method to authenticate copper canisters used for spent nuclear fuel based on the ultrasonic investigation of the friction stir weld

Sweden is planning to store nuclear spent fuel in long-term geological repositories. Copper canisters with a ductile iron insert will preserve the fuel for thousands of years at a depth of about 500 m in Swedish bedrock. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Euratom safeguards inspectorates have to maintain the continuity of knowledge (CoK) during transport and deposition of canisters from the encapsulation plant to the final repository. The aim of this paper is then oriented to provide such CoK for canisters by an identification and authentication based on ultrasound. This paper describes an authentication method oriented to prevent falsification of copper canisters. According to the ultrasonic investigation of the friction stir welding process of the copper lid onto the cylindrical tube, the ultrasonic response of the remaining gap partially filled during the welding is used as a unique pattern for authentication. The analysis of various measurements made on angular sections of copper lids friction stir welded onto the tube revealed the feasibility of acquisition of a valuable signal from the reflection of the internal gap. Following the observations on this data set, a possible technical design is detailed, where the identification and authentication methods can be combined with immersion probes

Nuclear Safeguards R&D and Innovation at the JRC

Nuclear safeguards are from the very origin of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), and as enshrined in the EURATOM Treaty, a key duty of the European Commission and a field in which JRC has a fully unique position in Europe. In this area JRC is an un-replaceable R&D partner of Euratom safeguards authority and IAEA through its very extensive support programme. The JRC R&D safeguards programme aims in one hand at maintaining traditional safeguards at level so that deterrence to diversion from civil cycle remains high, taking into account that more installations will need to be safeguarded by EU and international authorities. This relies on development of advanced NDA, DA and CS techniques, full remote and unattended (authenticated) technology and stringent quality systems in measurements and results delivery. In another hand the RD programme put more focus on material flows in sensitive uranium and spent fuel handling facilities and use of fingerprinting techniques to cover diversion scenarios and more performing and accurate environmental sampling techniques and traces analysis. Open-source analysis and development of new tools and methodologies for the control of Import/export are areas where the effort is also increased. In the JRC R&D programme a special attention is also given to the development of accountancy and safeguards concepts for advanced fuel cycles (GenIV) as well as proliferation resistance methodology. This scientific/technical work is encompassed by appropriate training activities. This paper is about some of the new R&D and innovation activities of the JRC as part of the EU contribution to the implementation of effective nuclear safeguards inside and outside the EU.JRC.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Integration of Nuclear Safeguards and Security at the JRC

At political level, security and safeguards remain in separate hands. Safeguards are implemented by international and national authorities through an international treaty, while security is an important national responsibility. At a technical level the synergies between safeguards and security lead to their integration allowing better optimization of the resources and important benefit from exchange of experience and expertise between the two systems. In this paper, we will illustrate this integration process between nuclear security and safeguards. Many examples will be presented such as: non destructive assay (NDA) in nuclear safeguard /detection and identification of illicit nuclear and radioactive materials, destructive analysis (DA) and environmental sampling in nuclear safeguards/ nuclear forensic, use of seals in nuclear security for containers, combined camera and gamma/neutron source for source localisation in luggage, Open source information, export controls are also areas were the integration is possible.JRC.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Performance of creatinine-based equations to estimate glomerular filtration rate in White and Black populations in Europe, Brazil and Africa.

peer reviewed("[en] BACKGROUND: A new Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation without the race variable has been recently proposed (CKD-EPIAS). This equation has neither been validated outside USA nor compared with the new European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) and Lund-Malmö Revised (LMREV) equations, developed in European cohorts. METHODS: Standardized creatinine and measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from the European EKFC cohorts (n = 13 856 including 6031 individuals in the external validation cohort), from France (n = 4429, including 964 Black Europeans), from Brazil (n = 100) and from Africa (n = 508) were used to test the performances of the equations. A matched analysis between White Europeans and Black Africans or Black Europeans was performed. RESULTS: In White Europeans (n = 9496), both the EKFC and LMREV equations outperformed CKD-EPIAS (bias of -0.6 and -3.2, respectively versus 5.0 mL/min/1.73 m², and accuracy within 30% of 86.9 and 87.4, respectively, versus 80.9%). In Black Europeans and Black Africans, the best performance was observed with the EKFC equation using a specific Q-value (= concentration of serum creatinine in healthy males and females). These results were confirmed in matched analyses, which showed that serum creatinine concentrations were different in White Europeans, Black Europeans and Black Africans for the same measured GFR, age, sex and body mass index. Creatinine differences were more relevant in males. CONCLUSION: In a European and African cohort, the performances of CKD-EPIAS remain suboptimal. The EKFC equation, using usual or dedicated population-specific Q-values, presents the best performance in the whole age range in the European and African populations included in this study.","[en] ",""

Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors

Abstract not availableJRC.G-Institute for the Protection and the Security of the Citizen (Ispra

Comparison of tagging technologies safeguards of copper canisters for nuclear spent fuel

Several countries are planning to store nuclear spent fuel in long term geological repositories, preserved by copper canisters with an iron insert. This new approach involves many challenging problems and one is to satisfy safeguards requirements: the Continuity of Knowledge (CoK) of the fuel must be kept from the encapsulation plant up to the final repository. To date, no measurement system has been suggested for a unique identification and authentication. Following the list of the most important safeguards, safety and security requirements for copper canisters identification and authentication, a review of conventional tagging technologies and measurement systems for nuclear items is reported in this paper. The aim of this study is to verify to what extent each technology could be potentially used for keeping the CoK of copper canisters. Several tagging methods are briefly described and compared, discussing advantages and disadvantages.JRC.G.II.7-Nuclear securit

Innovative Method to Authenticate Copper Canisters Used for Spent Nuclear Fuel Based on the Ultrasonic Investigation of the Friction Stir Weld

Sweden is planning to store nuclear spent fuel in long-term geological repositories. Copper canisters with a ductile iron insert will preserve the fuel for thousands of years at a depth of about 500 m in Swedish bedrock. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Euratom safeguards inspectorates have to maintain the continuity of knowledge (CoK) during transport and deposition of canisters from the encapsulation plant to the final repository. The aim of this paper is then oriented to provide such CoK for canisters by an identification and authentication based on ultrasound. This paper describes an authentication method oriented to prevent falsification of copper canisters. According to the ultrasonic investigation of the friction stir welding process of the copper lid onto the cylindrical tube, the ultrasonic response of the remaining gap partially filled during the welding is used as a unique pattern for authentication. The analysis of various measurements made on angular sections of copper lids friction stir welded onto the tube revealed the feasibility of acquisition of a valuable signal from the reflection of the internal gap. Following the observations on this data set, a possible technical design is detailed, where the identification and authentication methods can be combined with immersion probes

Ultrasonic Identification of Copper Canisters to be used for long term geological repository

Nuclear safeguards applications require highly specialized and secure systems for identification and authentication of copper canisters that has been recently introduced for long term geological repository of nuclear spent fuel. Following an ultrasonic characterization of velocity and attenuation of copper cylinders, a numerical model for the scattering of a set of Flat Bottom Holes (FBHs) randomly placed on a circular path is implemented. The random position, height and diameter of each FBH is used to generate a unique ultrasonic fingerprint that can be acquired with an ultrasonic probe scanning the surface of the copper canister along the circular path where the centers of FBHs are placed. According to the copper lid geometry a new method is required for the identification of the copper canisters; a solution is proposed with inclined FBHs with reduced distance from the probe in order to achieve high signal to noise ratio at 5 MHz. This solution can be easily implemented with an immersion probe thanks to the existing copper lid external cavity that can be filled with water. The characteristics of the ultrasonic fingerprint are analyzed in term of dynamic and robustness for identification with laboratory prototypes.JRC.G.II.7-Nuclear securit

Castor® containers: Ultrasonic sealing system for dry applications

New ultrasonic reading heads have been designed at SILab. The heads include a new motor drive with an encoder for precise feedback on the reading positions. The software and acquisition data system were developed as well. The heads are suitable both for dry and underwater applications. The head for dry reading includes a water reservoir to allow the coupling with the ultrasonic bolt. Also the weight and dimensions of the heads were reduced to ease transport and handling. One prototype was fabricated at SILab for each system. On request of DG-TREN, a new ultrasonic sealing system for dry applications is under development. It is based on the characteristics of the CASTOR® containers (dimensions, ambient and condition of operations). It includes a new upgraded ultrasonic sealing bolt, the reading head and a remote positioning system to reduce to a minimum the dose to the inspectors. The seal itself incorporates several innovative elements to avoid tampering with. A full scale mock up is under fabrication.JRC.G.7-Traceability and vulnerability assessmen