Deep Learning Approach To Multi-Phenomenological Nuclear Fuel Cycle Signals For Nonproliferation Applications, Preston J. Dicks

Theses and Dissertations

In order to reduce the time required for data analysis and decision-making relevant to nuclear proliferation detection, Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques are applied to multi-phenomenological signals emitted from nuclear fuel cycle facilities to identify non-human readable characteristic signatures of operations for use in detecting proliferation activities. Seismic and magnetic emanations were collected in the vicinity of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the McClellan Nuclear Research Center (MNRC). A novel bi-phenomenology DL network is designed to test the viability of transfer learning between nuclear reactor facilities. It is found that the network produces an 84.1% accuracy (99.4% without transient …

Optimization Of A Multi-Layered Target For A Pulsed Power Neutron Source, Zachary D. Bretz

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to create neutron environments is critical fora wide variety of applications including national security, materials science, and medical research. It is also helpful in medical, material, and other research. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Washington, DC, is interested in leveraging their pulsed-power facilities to produce an in-house, relatively inexpensive neutron source. NRL’s facilities produce 2 MeV (from Gamble II) and 5 MeV (from Mercury) protons and deuterons. This research explored combinations of target materials to produce the most neutrons in the forward direction. Models of the reactions involved were first validated against literature experiments, then target designs …

Feasibility Of Fireball Trail Detection Using Ground-Based Gps Receivers, Ian R. Moffett

Theses and Dissertations

The feasibility of using GPS data to detect fireballs is analyzed by first modeling the fireball’s trail diffusion and plasma chemistry to get a resulting ion density profile of the trail over time. The signal perturbation caused by the fireball trail is simulated for a ground receiver using an analytic solution for diffraction from a Gaussian lens. Five cases were modeled with varying initial peak ion densities and altitudes taken from fireball and reentry vehicle data. This paper shows that it is feasible to detect a fireball trail using GPS if the fireball has a sufficiently high initial ion density, …

Neutron Spectral Effect On Microelectronic Performance Response, Wade Kloppenburg

Theses and Dissertations

Response of 2N2222 bipolar junction transistors to neutrons from a pulsed thermonuclear or pulsed fission source are researched. Measurements used for comparing performance included the base-collector junction current-voltage and capacitance-voltage characteristics and device gain degradation. Little change was detected in steady-state operation of the base-collector junction, but evidence in the dynamic and capacitance measurements establish effects based on environment. Experimental results are compared to literature results and parameters are explored using a device model simulation code.

Analysis Of Microscopic Carbon Fiber Fragments, Zachary R. Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon Fiber (CF) has different tensile strengths and transverse moduli depending on how they are fabricated. Some CF is export controlled as it can be used for weapons, spacecraft, or gas centrifuges for enriching nuclear fuel. This research project explored a new way to prepare micron sized single CF threads to measure their transverse modulus and compare the moduli of non-export controlled CF to that of an export controlled CF. Five total polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers were used in this project, one of which was an export controlled fiber.

Addressing Underground, Unmanned Threats: A Case Study Of Gpr Detecting Illegal Objects At Nuclear Facilities And Enhancing Subterranean Physical Protection Systems, Md. Shamsul Huda Sohel, Mohammad Khan, Dr. Debashis Datta

International Journal of Nuclear Security

In nuclear installations, any unmanned threat is unacceptable. Such threats are a major issue for the nuclear physical protection system (PPS). Although the PPS of a nuclear power plant (NPP) is well prepared to deal with threats above ground level, until now, a special PPS had never been developed for detecting and tackling underground threats. One example of such a threat is a weapon-carrying, unmanned object operated by remote. Using this technology, a terrorist could launch an attack and overcome security barriers. While a normal PPS would not detect the underground activities of a mobile object, a PPS using a …

A Detailed Hydrodynamic Study Of The Split-Plate Airlift Reactor By Using Non-Invasive Gamma-Ray Techniques, Laith S. Sabri, Abbas J. Sultan, Hasan Shakir Majdi, Shadha K. Jebur, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study focused on detailed investigations of selected local hydrodynamics in split airlift reactor by using an unconventional measurements facility: computed tomography (CT) and radioactive particle tracking (RPT). The local distribution in a cross-sectional manner with its radial's profiles for gas holdup, liquid velocity flow field, shear stresses, and turbulent kinetic energy were studied under various gas velocity 1, 2 and 3 cm/s with various six axial level z = 12, 20, 40, 60, 90 and 112 cm. The distribution in gas-liquid phases in the whole split reactor column, the riser and downcomer sides, including their behavior at the top …

Geant4 Simulation For Radioactive Particle Tracking (Rpt) Technique, Ahmed A. Alghamdi, Thaar M. Aljuwaya, Abdullah S. Alomari, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the past two decades, the radioactive particle tracking (RPT) measurement technique has been proven to visualize flow fields of most multiphase flow systems of industrial interest. The accuracy of RPT, and hence the data obtained, depend largely on the calibration process, which stands here as a basis for two subsequent processes: tracking and reconstruction. However, limitations in the RPT calibration process can be found in different experimental constrains and in assumptions made in the classical Monte Carlo approach used to simulate number of counts received by the detectors. Therefore, in this work, we applied a GEANT4-based Monte Carlo code …

Uranium 233: The Nuclear Superfuel No One Is Using, Maris Hanson

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

Nuclear power offers more energy in less physical space than solar and wind and yields more energy per pound than fossil fuels. However different nuclear fuels yield different waste profiles and create different beneficial products. Uranium 233 (U233) resists use in nuclear weapons, yields beneficial daughter products, and produces dramatically less of the most problematic waste products than Uranium 235 (U235). U233 results from reactions with Thorium, a plentiful, ubiquitous element currently considered waste from rare earth mines. Additionally, U233 functions well in a liquid fuel reactor resulting in safer, more efficient reactors than current solid fuel U235 or Plutonium …

There From The Beginning: The Women Of Los Alamos National Laboratory Supporting National And International Nuclear Security, Olga Martin, Laura Mcclellan, Octavio Ramos, Heather Quinn

International Journal of Nuclear Security

From the beginning of the Manhattan Project in the early 1940s, the women of what would become Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) worked in technical positions alongside their male counterparts, played a key role as computers, and worked in administrative jobs as secretaries, phone operators, bookkeepers, and on behalf of the U.S. Army in the Women’s Army Corps.

Throughout the history of the Laboratory, women experts at LANL helped establish and lead important national and international security programs, with careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Over time, the women of Los Alamos have come together under various Employee Resource …

Analysis Of Non-Conventional Radiological Terrorism, James N. Padgett

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear terrorism has been a risk since the dawn of the first atomic bomb. Though state sponsored nuclear weapons development is of concern for countries, non-state sponsored terrorism with radiological material can be of even greater concern. This stems from the fact that the material is under less stringent or no safeguards and can readily change hands between different terrorist groups or innocent civilians may accidently come into contact with the material.

Within this paper an analysis of previous accidents using orphan radiological sources, malicious use of orphan radiological sources, and how these sources could be used by terrorists is …

Effort And Prospective On Nuclear Security In Rok, Jung Soo Kim, Myung-Tak Jung, Kookheui Kwon, Youngwook Lee

International Journal of Nuclear Security

As of July 2013, the Republic of Korea (ROK) has been operating a total of 23 nuclear power reactors at four sites with five new reactors under construction. In addition, the country has planned to construct two more units at two candidate sites, but due to a change in the energy policy, only one candidate site has been constructed while the other was decommissioned. The ROK has also been exporting nuclear power plants to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and building a research reactor in Jordan. These actions have made the nation’s nuclear industry by far the fastest growing industry …

Women In Nuclear Science & Technology In India: Challenges & Opportunities, Arpita Datta, Dr. Alpana Goel, Ashok Kumar Jain

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Women have been actively contributing toward frontline research and development of various advanced technologies in the nuclear domain and playing a crucial role in key positions. However, proportional representation of women in various decision-making positions at higher levels in politics, diplomacy, military affairs, science, and technology remains low, and most of these positions remain male-dominated. We see that women often find it difficult to achieve leadership roles for several reasons, but often from an implicit bias in society. The stereotypical image of women in society is still propagated very discreetly. In recent times, Indian women have made big strides in …

The Role Of Nuclear Forensics For Determining The Origin Of Nuclear Materials Out Of Regulatory Control And Nuclear Security, Lekhnath Ghimire, Edward Waller

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The international community recognizes the rise in theft and illicit trafficking of nuclear materials and radioactive sources—for malicious use and nuclear terrorism—as a serious threat. That is why a well-developed nuclear forensics capability is an integral part of a robust nuclear security program and a key element of nuclear security infrastructure. Both pre- and post-detonation nuclear forensics are vital for controlling theft and illicit trafficking of nuclear materials, as well as identifying and tracing their sources. Nuclear forensics analysis and interpretation processes for nuclear security is a systematic process that includes: (1) sample collection and categorization techniques and (2) detailed …

Developing Nuclear Security Capacity Of Indonesia’S Police And Security Officer: Lessons From Universitas Gadjah Mada’S Pilot Training, Susetyo Hario Putero Mr

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Due to an increase in global nuclear security issues, there need to be improvements in human resources and security measures. The Republic of Indonesia is an archipelago country, which makes surveilling for nuclear security threats complicated. Recent radioactive material smuggling incidents proved that Indonesian police and security officers’ knowledge in nuclear security has been challenged and must be improved. In response, Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Nuclear Engineering Program composed a three-day pilot training program for local police and UGM's security officers in 2018. The objective of the training was to improve their capabilities in dealing with nuclear security issues around where …

Nuclear Security Awareness Survey At A University, Marcia P. Robinson, Naomi German, Destiny B. White, Shraddha V. Rane, Jason Timothy Harris

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The concept of assessing safety culture in an organization emerged with its application at the nuclear power industry and has expanded since then. An assessment of nuclear security, on the contrary, is still under-developed, especially at non-nuclear facilities, such as academic institutions and medical facilities. To identify the level of the awareness and understanding of credible nuclear and radiological threats, response preparedness, security culture, and the integrity of nuclear security systems among non-radioactive material users at a university setting; a campus-wide survey was deployed. A total of 3,336 non-radioactive material users, including students, faculty, and staff participated in the survey. …

Particle Swarm Optimization For Critical Experiment Design, Cole Michael Kostelac

Masters Theses

“Critical experiments are used by nuclear data evaluators and criticality safety engineers to validate nuclear data and computational methods. Many of these experiments are designed to maximize the sensitivity to a certain nuclide-reaction pair in an energy range of interest. Traditionally, a parameter sweep is conducted over a set of experimental variables to find a configuration that is critical and maximally sensitive. As additional variables are added, the total number of configurations increases exponentially and quickly becomes prohibitively computationally expensive to calculate, especially using Monte Carlo methods.

This work presents the development of a particle swarm optimization algorithm to design …

Performance Degradation Based On Importance Change And Application In Dissimilar Redundancy Actuation System, Yadong Zhang, Chao Zhang, Shaoping Wang, Rentong Chen, Mileta M. Tomovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The importance measure is a crucial method to identify and evaluate the system weak link. It is widely used in the optimization design and maintenance decision of aviation, aerospace, nuclear energy and other systems. The dissimilar redundancy actuation system (DRAS) is a key aircraft control subsystem which performs aircraft attitude and flight trajectory control. Its performance and reliability directly affect the aircraft flight quality and flight safety. This paper considers the influence of the Birnbaum importance measure (BIM) and integrated importance measure (IIM) on the reliability changes of key components in DRAS. The differences of physical fault characteristics of different …

Helium-Air Mixing In Simulated Reactor Cavities Of Very High Temperature Reactors, Abdullah Abubakar

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTRs) and High Temperature Gas Reactors (HTGRs) are Generation IV gas reactors that promise to deliver high temperature process heat and efficient electricity for both industrial and commercial purposes. They have a high level of inherent passive safety making them a viable alternative to traditional water-cooled reactors. These helium gas-cooled reactors use graphite containing U-235 TRISO fuel particles in their core, as a moderator to slow down neutrons for fission chain reactions and for general core support. In the event of a primary circuit pipe break, the coolant gas escapes into the surrounding reactor cavity …

การกำจัดสีรีแอคทีฟในน้ำทิ้งจากอุตสาหกรรมสิ่งทอด้วยเครื่องเร่งอนุภาคอิเล็กตรอนพลังงานสูง, พัศราภรณ์ สุวรรณวโรดม

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ลำอิเล็กตรอนพลังงานสูงสามารถใช้บำบัดน้ำเสียทั้งในเชิงชีวภาพ (กำจัดเชื้อจุลินทรีย์ต่างๆ) และในเชิงเคมี (ย่อยสลายโมเลกุลขนาดใหญ่และซับซ้อนให้เล็กลง) ในเวลาเดียวกันได้ งานวิจัยนี้จึงนำเทคโนโลยีลำอิเล็กตรอนพลังงานสูงมาใช้ในการกำจัดสีย้อมรีแอคทีฟในน้ำทิ้งจากอุตสาหกรรมสิ่งทอ เพราะเป็นสีที่นิยมนํามาย้อมผ้า มีความคงตัวในสิ่งแวดล้อมสูง ทนทานต่อการซักล้าง และยากต่อการกำจัด ในการศึกษานี้ได้สังเคราะห์น้ำผสมกับสีรีแอคทีฟจำนวน 6 สี ได้แก่ สีแดง สีเหลือง สีน้ำเงิน สีชมพู สีฟ้า และสีดำ พร้อมกับเก็บตัวอย่างน้ำทิ้งจริงจากโรงงานย้อมผ้าในอำเภอสามพราน จังหวัดนครปฐม 1 ตัวอย่าง นำมาฉายลำอิเล็กตรอนพลังงานสูง 10 MeV ที่สถาบันเทคโนโลยีนิวเคลียร์แห่งชาติ (องค์การมหาชน) ที่ปริมาณรังสีต่างๆ กัน ผลการวิจัยพบว่าความเข้มสี, pH, COD, BOD5 และ TDS ลดลงตามปริมาณรังสีที่เพิ่มขึ้น และปริมาณรังสี 10 kGy สามารถกำจัดสีในน้ำที่สังเคราะห์ได้ ~92% ส่วนน้ำทิ้งจริงจากโรงงานย้อมผ้าต้องใช้ปริมาณรังสีสูงขึ้นในช่วง 50 kGy จึงจะสามารถกำจัดสีได้ ~80% ผลลัพธ์เหล่านี้แสดงถึงศักยภาพของการใช้เทคโนโลยีลำอิเล็กตรอนพลังงานสูงในการกำจัดสีย้อมรีแอคทีฟ ซึ่งเป็นเทคโนโลยีที่เป็นมิตรกับสิ่งแวดล้อมมากเพราะไม่ต้องใช้สารเคมีใดๆ ในการบำบัด จึงไม่มีสารเคมีตกค้างออกสู่สิ่งแวดล้อม เป็นการคืนสภาพความสะอาดและความปลอดภัยให้แก่น้ำที่จะปล่อยออกสู่งสิ่งแวดล้อม ซึ่งจะเป็นประโยชน์ต่อประชาชนอย่างยั่งยืน

Modeling Pa-233 Generation In Thorium-Fueled Reactors For Safeguards, Victoria Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Thorium has been researched for many decades as a possible alternative to uranium nuclear fuel. Thorium can be implemented in many different reactor designs including pressurized water reactors (PWRs), pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs), and molten salt reactors (MSRs). Its abundance in the earth, decreased long-lived transuranic waste, and claims that there are fewer proliferation concerns contribute to the attractiveness of using thorium as alternative nuclear fuel. However, possible proliferation pathways have been noted and must be investigated, particularly the potential diversion of ²³³Pa which can then decay to ²³³U – special fissionable material that should be under …

Molten Salt Technologies For Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles And Molten Salt Reactors, Dimitris Killinger

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation provides five topics—an assessment of different monitoring and analytical techniques often cited in the literature for molten salt systems and designs for nuclear engineering applications. First, we explored commonly used materials for quasi-reference electrodes in molten chloride salts. Second, the limitations of the electrochemical analysis known as cyclic voltammetry due to the concentration of uranium(III) present were being investigated. Third, we provided an experimental assessment on the development of a spectroelectrochemical cell for interrogating various spectroelectrochemical techniques, namely chronoabsorptometry and chronofluorometry, and their limitations due to the presence of uranium(III) ions. Fourth, a study on the corrosion resistance …

Feasibility Of A Critical Experiment Utilizing Uranium Dioxide-Beryllium Oxide With Neutron Spectrum Shifting Capabilities, Ashley Rachel Raster

Masters Theses

“The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility of utilizing Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) fuel in core design with Sandia Pulse Reactor Facility’s (SPRF) Seven Percent Critical Experiment (7uPCX) fuel rods as driver fuel for a critical experiment facility to support future critical and benchmark experiments for the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) handbook. This is part of the Critical Experiment Design (CED) process for future criticality experiments. These criticality experiment designs have the main goal of being performed in the same facility at different neutron energy ranges. To test the feasibility of this experiment …

Effects Of Vacancies And Electron Temperature On The Electron Phonon Coupling In Cubic Silicon Carbide And Their Connection To The Inelastic Thermal Spike, Salah Al-Smairat

Doctoral Dissertations

“The electron-phonon interaction is an important interaction in many solids as it influences transport phenomena and related quantities such as the electrical and thermal conductivities, especially in nuclear and space applications. The importance of the electron-phonon interaction in primary damage production in 3C-SiC is the subject of this research.

The electron-phonon coupling factor was calculated using a hybrid Density Functional Perturbation Theory - Classical Electron Gas model. The coupling factor was calculated as a function of electron temperature in pristine and defective 3C-SiC, and relaxed defective cells. The electron-phonon coupling is found to depend strongly on the electronic temperature and …

Using Computational Methods To Optimize High Heat Flux Component Thermal Performance In Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor Research, Monica Gehrig

Doctoral Dissertations

"Heat transfer enhancement by means of internally modified geometries in tubes and channels is an important mechanism to improve the survivability of components in extreme high-heat flux environments. Various features such as ribs and fins are studied using computational fluid dynamics in both uniform and one-sided heating in tubes and rectangular channels respectively to determine the most effective geometries across a variety of different flow and heating conditions. This work examines heat transfer enhancement and rib geometry optimization to support experimental research for nuclear fusion applications. The project begins by designing and analyzing test sections supporting a helium flow loop …

Sensitivity Of The Two-Fluid Model To Constitutive Correlations For Large Diameter Pipes, Alexander Lee Swearingen

Doctoral Dissertations

"Multiphase flows are a significant factor in nuclear reactor operations. In order to understand this behavior in reactor systems, system analysis codes are used to simulate reactor conditions. Due to the nature of the nuclear industry, simulations predicting the void development in the core are required to be highly accurate. This work evaluated the sensitivity of the void fraction and interfacial area concentration predictions to changes in correlations used to calculate three parameters that are used to complete the interfacial drag calculation. The three parameters evaluated were drift-flux, void fraction covariance, and interfacial area concentration. The change in drift-flux correlation …

Characterization Of Cermet Fuel For Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (Ntp), James Floyd Mudd

Masters Theses

“A manned flight to Mars is met with many technical challenges, not the least of which is the development of propulsion technology capable of moving a transit vehicle from Earth orbit to Mars orbit. NASA is investigating Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) as a way of reducing flight time and providing the option for a mid-mission abort. NTP, which uses a high temperature nuclear reactor to heat a propellant, requires advanced fuel materials capable of withstanding temperatures well in excess of 2000 K. Among the fuel options are ceramic metal (cermet) composites composed of refractory metals and Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs). …

Validation Of Athlet-Cd With Cora-28 Test, Murat Tuter

Masters Theses

“Following the incidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima, severe accidents at nuclear power plants (NPP) have become a global concern. These accidents generally occur because of a failure in the reactor cooling system (RCS) and result in the melting of the reactor core and fission product release. This event is mostly caused by a LOCA, loss of flow accident, station blackout or loss of heat sink. During a severe accident, generation of hydrogen as a result of steam-zircaloy fuel cladding is a significant safety concern. To better understand and prevent the hydrogen generation issue, safety related experiments and safety related codes …