OFFICIAL NCSP – AWE Collaboration • Criticality Incident Neutron Dosimetry [Image 1: PNS spectrometer (first generation) seen in a facility with neutron source (above the sphere) to expose the sphere and its detectors to neutron bombardment. / EXPLODED VIEW / SPHERE ASSEMBLY] • CIDAAS IS820 & IS859 • Large Epithermal Multiplicity Counter Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE 1 OFFICIAL U.S. Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) Technical Program Review (TPR), February 2024 Appendix F International Collaborations International Collaborations AWE UK Progress FY24 & Look Ahead Matt Harker Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) Radiation Detection Group (RDG)/Physics/Science Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL Appendix F International Collaborations AWE UK • Criticality Incident Detection and Alarm System (IE12) Simon Garbett, Graham Auld, Trevor Birkett • Neutron Time Correlation Measurement and Analysis Bulk Nuclear Material Nigel Kelsall • Criticality Incident Dosimetry; inter-comparison trials Phil Angus • Hands-on Criticality Safety Training Chris Hodkinson, Mark Roydhouse Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL CIDAAS Testing (IE12) – Criticality Incident Detection System (CIDS) Update MENSA Project at AWE  One IS820 CIDS Rack – Currently at subsystem level testing (six out of eight complete). The next stage Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) due April 2024.  Three IS821 Detector Head Assemblies (DHA) – FAT completed last year. AWE Refurbishment Project (multiple facilities)  An order for a further eight IS820 CIDS Racks (with 140 IS821 DHAs) has now been approved, procurement and manufacture for the IS821 DHAs is underway. IS859 Mini CIDS  Intended to support the IS820 CIDS hot spares however, the system has been designed for a viable transition into a future portable CIDS.  Prototype completed and approved, now preparing for stage two (conformance testing) later this year. Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL CIDAAS Testing (IE12) – Additional News Supply of IS820 CIDS to external entities  AWE continue to work with Ploughshare (MOD) to explore licencing.  For US Govt applications supply under MDA is also being investigated. White Sands Missile Range Testing  Survivability testing using multiple IS821 DHA design adaptations to safeguard against component obsolescence.  Provisional date of late-May 2024 provided. GODIVA IV Testing  Further testing on the IS820 CIDS post event capabilities.  Provisional date of mid-May 2024 provided. Criticality Audible Visual and Alarm System (CAVAS)  A commercially available system providing audible and visual alarms when triggered by the IS820 CIDS.  All four units have now undergone FAT, a fifth currently being manufactured (spare rack). AWE System management  Project ongoing to develop a site wide monitoring capability for CIDS and other systems to provide system status and access to post incident data for relevant personnel on our corporate IT platform.  Proof of concept near completion, undergoing testing with latest systems connected. Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL TRIGA Reactor Characterisation AFRRI August 2023 • Phil Angus and colleagues produced experimental plan for the Aug ‘23 TRIGA reactor characterisation • Unfortunate failure of the Visit Approval System for DoD sites meant no clearances for AWE staff in time to attend • Phil & LLNL discussed transfer of LLNL PNS data to AWE • Phil and team may model PNS response • LLNL kindly sent Harshaw locket data which will be unfolded using CRISIS code • Phil pursuing sharing access to CRISIS code with LLNL, no significant issues anticipated Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL Criticality Incident Neutron Dosimetry, Look Ahead 2024 Criticality Accident Dosimetry Intercomparison exercise • AWE plan to attend and participate • Preparations have begun; equipment & logistics • Likely to be the most significant experiment FY25, challenging neutron/photon field Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL Criticality Incident Neutron Dosimetry, Look Ahead Li-6 TLD Response • Internal development work on Li-6 TLD responses & paired Li-6/7 systems • To meet the challenges high photon:neutron ratio fields pose, e.g. unshielded TRIGA configuration Neutron Spectrum Unfolding • LLNL – AWE collaboration, LLNL keen to access AWE codes • Considering monthly meetings to accelerate exchange • AWE hoping to host a LLNL visit Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL Nuclear Material Control & Nuclear Security Fast Neutron Liquid Scintillators: Bulk Material Oct-Nov ‘23 DAF Campaign 2 weeks 1st week hampered by equipment transport issues and industrial action Enormous thanks to Paul Yap and Sam Varghese for their time & initiative collecting equipment from shipper 2nd week, 2 days Bulk Material measurements, • Pu O2, 1½” SS • Pu metal, 1½” SS, mock HE Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL Nuclear Material Control & Nuclear Security Look Ahead • Feb-Mar ‘24 visit, • Repair & Test LEMC,  Mirion Tech Engineer Henry Portelles • Arrange for RoSPEC to return to UK • Acquire high quality, • High resolution gamma ray spectra • Neutron Time Correlation (3He) data • from credible simulant threat objects Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE OFFICIAL Hands-on Criticality Safety Training • Two Criticality Safety Group (CSG) team members experiencing hands-on training at DAF January-February ‘24 • CSG plans to send all Assessors on DAF hands-on training with new recruits included going forward • Thank you NCSP and DAF Document reference:NMD06/06/01/MH/01/24 OFFICIAL UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Owned Copyright 2024/AWE