Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory are enhancing ARG‑US – Latin for “watchful guardian” – remote monitoring technologies to bolster the safety, security and safeguards (3S) of nuclear and radioactive material packages during storage, transport and disposal, both in the US and internationally.
This work supports the DOE’s Office of Environmental Management Packaging and Transportation’s mission of “seeking to protect people and the environment by ensuring the safe, compliant and efficient transportation of materials critical to successful Department operations”, as well as benefits professionals in the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear cargo transport and storage sectors.
Three advances in ARG‑US remote monitoring systems technologies highlight progress on this strategic mission: international collaboration incorporating a digital twin for real-time gas leakage detection of spent fuel canisters; a successful industry-government demonstration monitoring the transport of a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG); and development of AI sensors for safeguarding spent nuclear fuel in dry cask storage systems.
ARG-US patented platforms
The ARG‑US remote monitoring technologies comprise two patented platforms. The first platform uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) surveillance tags equipped with sensors for drum‑type packages in storage or transportation, paired with fixed or handheld readers – or the “all‑in‑one” CommBox. The second platform features remote area modular monitoring (RAMM) systems designed for nuclear fuel cycle facilities and the TRAVELER reader for real‑time tracking and monitoring of nuclear materials in transport.
ARG‑US RFID systems operate via active RFID sensor surveillance tags affixed to drum‑type packages in storage or transportation. “Smart drums”, which are drums equipped with RFID tags and readers (as shown in Figure 1), enhance 3S and materials accountability and reduce exposure of personnel to radiation to as low as reasonably achievable. Authorised users gain real‑time access to status data, event history and continuous environmental monitoring – critical for both facility operations and transportation.
The overall benefits of ARG‑US RFID systems are significant: these systems offer enhanced 3S performance at nuclear facilities and during transportation, all while delivering cost‑effectiveness.
Argonne-CRIEPI collaboration
A digital twin is a virtual model that mirrors a physical object, system or process. By emulating and analysing real‑world scenarios, digital twin sensing is emerging as a tool for real-time monitoring that greatly enhances nuclear material safety, security, and safeguards. In collaboration with the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) in Tokyo, Japan, Argonne researchers integrated digital twin sensing with a customised version of RAMM – RAMM‑temperature measurement (RAMM-TM) – to monitor surface temperatures of canisters containing spent nuclear fuel (SNF).
RAMM‑TM operates in an “edge” mode by incorporating type-K thermocouples for canister surface temperature measurements and power over ethernet (PoE) for power supply and data communication. Compact (about the size of a lunchbox) and lightweight, RAMM‑TM units are both safe and cost‑effective to install and deploy on dry storage casks. While pressure sensors, thermocouples and radiation detectors are the three traditional methods used for monitoring SNF dry cask storage systems, RAMM‑TM is unique as the only system capable of detecting leakage from welded SNF canisters and radiation, if there were damaged fuel inside a breached canister.
Between December 2020 and March 2023, researchers from Argonne and CRIEPI conducted, in real time, extensive canister gas leakage experiments using a 1/4.5-scale model cask with small, simulated chloride-induced stress corrosion cracks, or CISCC (see Figure 2). In the experiments, both helium and air gas leakage from a canister were detected within hours after the start of the leakage based on the change in surface temperatures at the top and bottom of the canister, which is the key virtual sensor that triggered automatic alarms. The experiments demonstrated that RAMM-TM is reliably capable of early detection of gas leakage from a welded canister due to CISCC, which enables timely mitigation and consequence management, as well as reduces risks to public safety, health and the environment. This method of remote area modular monitoring for temperature measurement is further described in the International Atomic Energy Agency TECDOC SERIES, No. 2122, Ageing Management Programmes for Spent Fel Dry Storage Systems – Final Report of a Coordinated Research Project (2026).
Monitoring shipment of an RTG
The BUP-500 is a 500W-electrical radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) designed by Teledyne Energy Systems (TESI) for the DOE in the 1980s. TESI, a division of Teledyne Technologies Company, is a leading global provider of on-site gas and power generation systems. BUP is named after the Byproduct Utilisation Program. A prototype BUP-500 was built, but it was not placed into service.
In December 2023, the DOE issued an exemption from DOE Order 460.1D Hazardous Materials Packaging and Transportation Safety for a one-way, one-time shipment of the BUP-500 package from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the Westinghouse Churchill Site for subsequent removal, recovery and reutilisation of the RTG heat source radioactive material (strontium-90) for defence and space applications.
The DOE exemption was based on an independent technical review of the application submitted by the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and performed by DOE Packaging Certification Programme (PCP) staff, who reviewed the exemption application and supporting documentation, including the BUP-500 transportation plan prepared by United Cleanup Oak Ridge in accordance with the DOE Order 460.2B, Departmental Materials Transportation Management. The plan included tracking the shipment by using ARG-US RFID tags and driver inspections.
The operational controls specified the use of five ARG-US RFID tags attached to the BUP-500 package and a TRAVELER inside the box truck to remotely track the shipment and monitor package temperature, radiation and shock in real time. Figure 3 shows the RFID tags on the off-loaded BUP-500 package after arriving at the Westinghouse Churchill Site on 24 January 2024. This was the first successful integration and combined use of two ARG-US platforms in supporting a shipment of a Type B transportation package. The BUP-500 shipment served as a significant use case of the ARG-US RFID system in future applications of shipments that must follow DOE Order 460.2B. The purpose of this order is to establish requirements and responsibilities for management of DOE – including National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) – materials transportation and to ensure the safe, secure and efficient transportation of materials, both hazardous and non-hazardous, for off-site shipments.
AI sensors for safeguarding SNF in dry cask storage systems
Argonne researchers are developing a novel system called Active Radiation Containment with Integrated Surveillance (ARC-IS), which combines an active fibre-optic loop seal with an AI camera (referred to as an AI seal) and the ARG-US RAMM-TM system equipped with multiple sensors for environmental monitoring. By combining the AI seal for safeguarding and RAMM-TM for environmental monitoring, ARC-IS will greatly reduce inspector effort and improve safeguards, security and safety for spent nuclear fuel dry cask storage systems.
The schematics in Figure 4 illustrate the five operational steps for the AI seal and laptop [top and bottom in Figure 4(a)], where the laptop displays the image from the camera after the AI seal has been attached to an SNF dry cask (shown in gray) following steps two to five, as represented. The seal attachment points, or APs (AP1 and AP2), are shown for illustration purposes only; the AI/ML camera identifies where and how the AI seal is attached, after training the AI/ML camera by using videos of models, photos or casks.
Next-generation training
Beyond technical innovation, Argonne is also offering a Packaging University Summer Institute, sponsored by the US DOE Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) PCP. Argonne’s Summer Institute provides training on current and emerging topics provided by leaders in US national laboratories and experts in industry and academia from around the world. More broadly, the Institute supports the DOE-EM’s Office of Packaging and Transportation’s mission to bridge the knowledge and experience gap between long-time experts in nuclear packaging and college and university students, as well as early and mid-career professionals looking for opportunities to enter the field.
Argonne’s expertise in packaging technology development and implementation, experience and resources in educational outreach, and expertise in communication and programme strategy serve as the foundation for the institute, which enhances the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education portfolio at Argonne.
Two back-to-back courses will be offered annually at Argonne in August for over two weeks. With this schedule, the Summer Institute will more efficiently leverage teaching and other key resources to help students master course learning objectives by convening complementary, back-to-back courses on, for example:
- The application of the ASME Code to nuclear transport and storage and packaging quality assurance
- Transport security and transport emergency response
- Facility/site decommissioning and decontamination and ARG-US remote monitoring systems technologies.
The suite of Argonne training courses addresses both the front end and back end of the nuclear fuel cycle at the juncture during which knowledge transfer is critical for next-generation training in nuclear packaging.
By participating in the Summer Institute, students will gain broader and greater in-depth knowledge on packaging for nuclear and other radioactive material. For the nuclear industry, the institute will help industry and regulators identify, recruit, train, retain and advance motivated employees, as well as gain credibility with clients. Longer term, the institute will also engage high school and junior high school students in the STEM field of nuclear packaging.
Future courses are planned in collaboration with universities. In addition, the Summer Institute can help meet the demand for training on packaging for nuclear fuel cycle applications because of attrition and worldwide activities on the development and deployment of small modular reactors and microreactors. The Summer Institute is still in the early stages of implementation. A significant challenge is to establish a mature infrastructure that will enable broad participation. To overcome that challenge, Argonne and Packaging University Programme stakeholders are developing and implementing strategies to ensure steady growth and continuous improvement, including:
- Expanded, multi-faceted outreach to increase engagement of potential students, universities and colleges, professional organizations and industry
- Financial support of well-qualified, motivated students
- Expanded housing opportunities for graduate university students
- Classrooms and logistics (transportation to site and on-site).
Even in its early stages of implementation, the Summer Institute has been successfully expanding outreach and increasing engagement. For example, Argonne and Nuclear Transport Solutions – UK – the most experienced transporter of nuclear material in the world with locations in the UK, France and Japan – have begun discussions to broaden collaboration. To support continued success, Argonne is building a full leadership and administrative team to coordinate resource and technology needs, support outreach and engagement, handle registration and tuition payments, manage student communications and schedule orientations.
For more information please visit: https://www.anl.gov/
