Book Description

The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM) performs research in nuclear power reactor fuel, spent fuel reprocessing and waste management, materials science of fissionable and reactor structural materials, metallurgy, superconducting materials, and analytical sciences. VNIINM supports the Ministry of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation (MINATOM) in technologies for fabrication and processing of nuclear fuel. As a participant in the U.S./Russian nuclear materials protection, control and accounting (MPC & A) program, VNIINM is providing support for measurements of nuclear materials in bulk forms by developing specifications, test and evaluation, certification, and implementation of measurement methods for such materials. In 1997, VNIINM worked with Brookhaven staff in developing and documenting material control and accounting requirements for nuclear materials in bulk form, Livermore and Los Alamos staff in testing and evaluating gamma-ray spectrometry methods for bulk materials, Los Alamos staff in test and evaluation of neutron-coincidence counting techniques, Livermore and Oak Ridge staff in upgrading VNIINM'S mass-spectrometry laboratory, Pacific Northwest staff on automating VNIINM's coulometric titration system and starting a task to develop a general MC & A plan for the VNHNM site, Los Alamos staff in developing a computerized accounting system for nuclear material within VNHNM and their storage facility, and Los Alamos and Oak Ridge staff in developing a bar-code system to complement the computerized accounting system. Our paper will describe the status of this work in 1997.