System for nondestructive assay of spent fuel subassemblies: comparison of calculations and measurements
A nondestructive assay system was developed for determining the total fissile content of spent fuel subassemblies at the head end of a reprocessing plant. The system can perform an assay in 20 min with an uncertainty of <5%. Antimony-beryllium neutrons interrogate the subassemblies, and proton recoil counters detect the resulting fission neutrons. Pulse-height discrimination differentiates between the low-energy interrogation neutrons and the higher-energy fission neutrons. Calculated and measured results were compared for (1) interrogation-neutron penetrability, (2) fission-neutron detectability, (3) radial variation of assay sensitivity, (4) axial variation of assay sensitivity, and (5) the variation of detector count rate as a function of the number of fuel rods in a special 61-rod, LMFBR-type subassembly.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5902260
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-791117-3; TRN: 80-000714
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ANS topical conference, Kiawah Island, SC, USA, 26 Nov 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
ACCOUNTING
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSION NEUTRONS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
FUEL RODS
HEAD END PROCESSES
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
NEUTRON DETECTION
PERFORMANCE
SENSITIVITY
BARYONS
BREEDER REACTORS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DETECTION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FERMIONS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HADRONS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
MANAGEMENT
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEONS
RADIATION DETECTION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
055001* - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability- Technical Aspects