Development and implementation of Glovebox Cleanout Assistance Tool -BCAT- to detect the presence of MOX by computational approach

In order to implement facility nuclear material accountancy (NMA) and safeguards properly, it is important to understand where and how much holdup deposit in the process is present for the planning of the cleanout before PIT. JAEA and LANL developed and implemented a Glovebox Cleanout Assistance Tool (BCAT) to assist cleanout activity (Recovering MOX powder in a glovebox) for invisible holdup effectively by computational approach which is called distributed source-term analysis (DSTA). To know the holdup location and activity, the BCAT tool uses a set of simple neutron slab detectors and a matrix showing the relation between source activity and measured intensity, The matrix is defined by the MCNPX simulation using known source activity (be check source) at 53 source voxels and measured intensity at 57 measurement positions almost uniformly distributed in a process room. The model of MCNPX for entire process is very precisely established. We have implemented and experimentally proved that the BCAT tool can direct the operator to recoverable holdup that would otherwise be accounted for as MUF. Reducing facility MUF results in a direct improvement of the facility NMA. It is expected that using the BCAT tool over time will reduce the holdup in the conversion room and the total MUF declaration at the facility, as well as enable the staff to significantly improve their knowledge of the locations of residual holdup in the process area. JAEA would like to use this application for dismantling of the glovebox with transparency in the future. (authors)