Nuclear Engineering Commons^™

Assessing And Enhancing Nuclear Safety And Security Culture For Small Facilities That Handle Radioactive Material, Solymosi Máté

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The use of radioactive sources is expanding all over the world and abreast the necessity of the enhancement of its safe and secure application is increasing too. In the nuclear industry, the safety and security are top priorities since decades. They share the same goal, to protect humans from the negative affect of the ionizing radiation. The human component of them is a significant factor and technical solutions can protect us so far and thus the culture for safety and security become a major focus. On the other hand, there are still some contradiction between recommendations and international guidance of …

Solar System Battery Backups For Reactor Coolant Pumps During Electricity Outages Resulting From Natural Disasters, Md. Shamsul Huda Sohel

International Journal of Nuclear Security

In a nuclear power plant, its coolant system is major safety equipment. Coolant system failure causes several accidents in nuclear history. There are so many causes for coolant system failure. One of them is lack of electric power for coolant pumps. In typically NPP there is backup system for power redundancy. In this article, focus on reactor coolant system and its backup power when main grid lines failure. Here discuss about solar backup power for batteries and increases a safety lines for reactor coolant pumps. So, our main goal is providing a battery backup from reliable natural source and ensuring …

Electrical Characterization Of Irradiated Semiconducting Amorphous Hydrogenated Boron Carbide, George Glen Peterson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide has been explored as a neutron voltaic for operation in radiation harsh environments, such as on deep space satellites/probes. A neutron voltaic device could also be used as a solid state neutron radiation detector to provide immediate alerts for radiation workers/students, as opposed to the passive dosimetry badges utilized today. Understanding how the irradiation environment effects the electrical properties of semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide is important to predicting the stability of these devices in operation. p-n heterojunction diodes were formed from the synthesis of semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide on silicon …

Evaluation And Enhancement Of Clean Energy Systems: Analytical, Computational And Experimental Study Of Solar And Nuclear Cycles, Nima Fathi

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Clean (and specifically renewable) energy is steadily improving its global share. However, finite availability of fossil fuels and the growing effects of climate change make it an urgent priority to convince the industry and governments to incentivize investment in the renewable energy field and to make it more attractive by decreasing the capital cost. Until recently, uncertainties in funding limited renewable energy development, especially in the US. That limitation has been one of the barriers to progress. Another limitation of many renewable energy systems is the variability in their output, which makes them unsuitable for baseline power production. Therefore, fossil …

Nuclear Weapons In A Changing Climate: Probability, Increasing Risks, And Perception, Adam Liska, Tyler R. White, Eric Holley, Robert J. Oglesby

Adam Liska Papers

Many people tend to think that the outcome of any nuclear weapons use today will result in an escalatory situation with apocalyptic outcomes for the countries involved. Yet many factors are increasing the probability of the limited use of nuclear weapons (e.g., 1 to 20 warheads) in a range of conflict scenarios. Previous atmospheric model simulations of regional nuclear conflicts employing many relatively small bombs have been estimated to cause a global “nuclear autumn,” with great reductions in agricultural productivity, stratospheric ozone loss, and spread of hazardous radioactive fallout. The totality of these effects would result in widespread damage …

High Precision Refractive Index Measurement Techniques Applied To The Analysis Of Neutron Damage And Effects In Caf2 Crystals, Joseph P. Morris Ph.D.

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Neutron irradiation damages material by atomic displacements. The majority of these damage regions are microscopic and difficult to study, though they can cause a change in density and thus a change in refractive index in transparent materials. This work utilized CaF₂ crystals to track refractive index change based on neutron radiation dose. High precision refractive index measurements were performed utilizing a nested-cavity mode-locked laser where the CaF₂ crystal acted as a Fabry-Pérot Etalon (FPE). By comparing the repetition rate of the cavity and the repetition rate of the FPE, refractive index change was determined. Following several irradiation experiments, …

Fast Neutron Detection In Nuclear Material Photofission Assay Using A 15 Mev Linear Electron Accelerator, Matthew Steven Hodges

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this research was to use a 15 MeV (K15 model by Varian) linear electron accelerator (linac) for the photon assay of special nuclear materials (SNM). First, the properties of the photon radiation probe were determined. The stochastic radiation transport code, MCNP5, was used to develop computational models for the linac. The spectral distribution of photons as well as dose rate contour maps of the UNLV accelerator facility were computed for several linac operating configurations. These computational models were validated through comparison with experimental measurements of dose rates.

The linac model was used to simulate the photon interrogation …

In Defense Of Science—What Would John Do?, Mohamed Gad-El-Hak

Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Publications

Recent onslaughts on the importance of pure research to our collective well-being are trending. In this essay, I discuss the issues involved and offer a rebuttal. The thoughts are inspired by my mentor, academic sibling, and idol John Leask Lumley.

Discrete Ordinates Ct Organ Dose Simulator (Doctors), Edward T. Norris

Doctoral Dissertations

"Computed tomography (CT) has become pervasive in medical diagnostics as improved imaging techniques and processing algorithms provide higher quality information to doctors. However, the exponentially increasing usage of CT has raised concerns regarding long term low-dose radiological risks.

Currently, the dose to patients is computed using Monte Carlo methods and experimental tests. In other areas of radiation transport, deterministic codes have been shown to be much faster than Monte Carlo codes.

Currently, no deterministic methodology exists to automatically generate a spatially distributed dose profile from a CT voxel phantom. This work proposes a new code, Discrete Ordinate CT Organ Dose …

A Study Of The Potential Applications Of Am241, And Determining The Feasibility Of Using Gamma Spectroscopy For Future Physical Validation, Eric A. Feissle

Masters Theses

“Am241 is typically produced via Pu241 decay in a uranium fueled reactor. Presence of Am241 can be used as the age estimation tool for spent fuel, which is a focus of this thesis along with the interest of the measurement and the ratio of production rates of Am241’s activation products; Americium-242 and its first excited state of Americium-242m. MCNP models of the core and BEGe 3825 detector were built. These models were compared with established and physical measurements of gamma/x-ray standards that were available at the reactor. Thermal fluxes at 200 kW for potential foils centered in the source holder …

The Viability Of Advantg Deterministic Method For Synthetic Radiography Generation, Andrew Albert Bingham

Masters Theses

"Time sensitive and high resolution image simulations are needed for synthetic radiography generation. The standard stochastic approach requires lengthy run times with poor statistics at higher resolutions. The investigation of the viability of a deterministic approach to synthetic radiography image generation was explored. The aim was to analyze a computational time decrease over the stochastic method. ADVANTG was compared to MCNP in multiple scenarios including a Benchtop CT prototype, to simulate high resolution radiography images. By using ADVANTG deterministic code to simulate radiography images the computational time was found to decrease over 10 times compared to the MCNP stochastic approach"--Abstract, …

Improving Nuclear Safety, Security, And Nonproliferation In Northeast Asia Through Multinational Approach, Viet Phuong Nguyen

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Nuclear Power: Black Sky Liability Or Black Sky Asset?, Sherrell R. Greene

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Ready access to abundant electricity is a key enabler of modern life. During the past decade the vulnerability of Critical Infrastructure sectors in the U.S. to a variety of natural hazards and man-made threats has become increasingly apparent. The electrical infrastructure (the “Grid”) is the foundation for all other critical civil infrastructures upon which our society depends. Therefore, protection of the Grid is an energy security, homeland security, and national security issue of highest importance. Geomagnetic disturbances (GMD) induced by solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs), electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks, and cyber attacks are three events having the potential to plunge …

Addressing The Tunnel Threat At Nuclear Facilities: A Case Study, Md. Mobasher Ahmed

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Janus Realized: The Use Of Social Media As A Means Of Transparency Nuclear Communication To The Public, Frances Bachstein

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of The 1995 Middle East Resolution: A Vital Lifeline To The Extension And Success Of The Non-Proliferation Treaty, Haidy Y. Ghoname, Howard Lewis Hall

International Journal of Nuclear Security

This study highlights the core non-proliferation dilemmas we face and suggests an effective mechanism for reviving the spirit and the hope of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. An indispensable key to the treaty calls for a rethinking of what we believe should be referred to as its four pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and implementation of the 1995 Middle East Resolution. We seek to contribute to the renaissance of the non-proliferation regime by addressing seven dilemmas that arise from the way various Non-Proliferation Treaty participants pursue the goals of the four pillars undergirding the treaty. This study highlights …

Table Of Contents

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Modern Advancements In Post-Detonation Nuclear Forensic Analysis, S. Adam Stratz, Jonathan A. Gill, John D. Auxier Ii, Howard L. Hall

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Deterring nuclear terrorism is a critical national asset to support the preclusion of non-state actors from initiating a nuclear attack on the United States. Successful attribution of a detonated nuclear weapon allows for timely responsive measures that prove essential in the period following a nuclear event. In conjunction with intelligence and law enforcement evidence, the technical nuclear forensics (TNF) post-detonation community supports this mission through the development and advancement of expertise to characterize weapon debris through a rapid, accurate, and detailed approach. Though the TNF field is young, numerous strides have been made in recent years toward a more robust …

Evaluation Of Covert Plutonium Production From Unconventional Uranium Sources, Ondrej Chvala, Steven Skutnik, Tyrone Christopher Harris, Emily Anne Frame

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The potential for a relatively non-advanced nation to covertly acquire a significant quantity of weapons-grade plutonium using a gas-cooled, natural uranium-fueled reactor based on relatively primitive early published designed is evaluated in this article. The economic and technical issues that would influence the design decisions of a covert ²³⁹Pu production program are considered.

Several unconventional uranium acquisition approaches were explored. Methods for extracting uranium from enrichment tails, seawater, and coal ash sources were considered. The evaluation indicated that uranium extraction from coal ash or insitu leaching from underground deposits could be performed in economical manner that might be difficult …

Student Competition Cover

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Prospects For Cooperation On Tackling Nuclear And Radiological Terrorism In South Asia: India–Pakistan Nuclear Detection Architecture, Muhammad Umer Khan

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

From The Editor’S Desk

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.

Opportunities And Challenges In Developing Nuclear Security In Africa, James Larkin Mfr

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Those involved in nuclear security recognize that regions of significant instability in Africa have an impact on the safety and security of the continent's nuclear material and un-enriched uranium; however, some countries outside of continental Africa have taken counterproductive approaches to this issue. Despite challenges, the nuclear security community continues to develop and apply appropriate levels of nuclear security where needed. The community also takes every opportunity to make significant contributions to the global discourse on nuclear security culture.

Legal And Regulatory Framework Of Nuclear Security In Indonesia, Dahlia Cakrawati Sinaga

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Nuclear security is one of the most important topics for regulatory purposes in Indonesia. Nuclear security measures exist to prevent, detect, and respond to unauthorized removal of radioactive material and the sabotage of nuclear and radiation facilities. Indonesia participates in bilateral and multilateral cooperation and international events such as the Nuclear Security Summit. Indonesia has also ratified several international instruments related to nuclear security. Based on commitment to international events and ratification, Indonesia has developed nuclear security infrastructures by strengthening legislation and regulation, enhancing building capacity, and strengthening equipment and facilities. Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir (BAPETEN) is Indonesia’s nuclear energy …

Nuclear Security Risk Analysis: An Insider-Outsider Collusion Scenario, Mohammad A. Hawila, Sunil S. Chirayath

International Journal of Nuclear Security

This study analyses the vulnerability of the physical protection system (PPS) deployed at a hypothetical facility. The PPS is designed to prevent and eliminate threats to nuclear materials and facilities. The analysis considers possible outsider and insider threats. A modified adversary sequence diagram (ASD) evaluates threat pathways to test an insider-outsider collusion case. The ASD also measures the probability of adversary interruption by demonstrating the methodology for a typical nuclear facility.

Nuclear Security Culture And Batan’S Assessment: Batan’S Experience, Anhar R. Antariksawan

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Organizations should increase safety to minimize the harmful effects of nuclear materials. Additionally, organizations should take measures to protect security culture within the organization itself. This paper covers the National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia’s (BATAN’s) promotion of nuclear security culture and self- assessment projects, which is based on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) methodology.

Modified Fault Tree Method For Vulnerability Analysis Of Nuclear Medicine Facility Security System Case Study: Radiotherapy Facility, Sardjito General Hospital, Haryono Budi Santosa

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Assessing the vulnerability of physical protection systems (PPS) in nuclear medicine facilities is needed to prevent a security incident that could lead to the malicious use of nuclear material. Theft and sabotage of nuclear materials is becoming globally recognized. The current methods of assessing vulnerability tend to be oriented toward complex nuclear security; consequently, it is excessive to use such methods in simple facilities (i.e., radiotherapy facilities in hospitals).

The fault tree analysis is a method to assess vulnerability for a simple nuclear facility. The method’s primary events (i.e., basic events and undeveloped events) are able to accommodate fault causes …

Ijns Masthead

International Journal of Nuclear Security

No abstract provided.