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Title: Used Fuel Cask Identification through Neutron Profile

Abstract

Currently, most spent fuel is stored near reactors. An interim consolidated fuel storage facility would receive fuel from multiple sites and store it in casks on site for decades. For successful operation of such a facility there is need for a way to restore continuity of knowledge if lost as well as a method that will indicate state of fuel inside the cask. Used nuclear fuel is identifiable by its radiation emission, both gamma and neutron. Neutron emission from fission products, multiplication from remaining fissile material, and the unique distribution of both in each cask produce a unique neutron signature. If two signatures taken at different times do not match, either changes within the fuel content or misidentification of a cask occurred. It was found that identification of cask loadings works well through the profile of emitted neutrons in simulated real casks. Even casks with similar overall neutron emission or average counts around the circumference can be distinguished from each other by analyzing the profile. In conclusion, (1) identification of unaltered casks through neutron signature profile is viable; (2) collecting the profile provides insight to the condition and intactness of the fuel stored inside the cask; and (3) the signaturemore » profile is stable over time.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1226884
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-28644
TRN: US1700242
DOE Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: ANS Winter Meeting, Washington, DC (United States), 9-13 Nov 2015
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; SPENT FUEL CASKS; IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS; NEUTRON EMISSION; FISSILE MATERIALS; FISSION PRODUCTS; Dry Cask Storage; Signature

Citation Formats

Rauch, Eric Benton. Used Fuel Cask Identification through Neutron Profile. United States: N. p., 2015. Web.
Rauch, Eric Benton. Used Fuel Cask Identification through Neutron Profile. United States.
Rauch, Eric Benton. 2015. "Used Fuel Cask Identification through Neutron Profile". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1226884.
@article{osti_1226884,
title = {Used Fuel Cask Identification through Neutron Profile},
author = {Rauch, Eric Benton},
abstractNote = {Currently, most spent fuel is stored near reactors. An interim consolidated fuel storage facility would receive fuel from multiple sites and store it in casks on site for decades. For successful operation of such a facility there is need for a way to restore continuity of knowledge if lost as well as a method that will indicate state of fuel inside the cask. Used nuclear fuel is identifiable by its radiation emission, both gamma and neutron. Neutron emission from fission products, multiplication from remaining fissile material, and the unique distribution of both in each cask produce a unique neutron signature. If two signatures taken at different times do not match, either changes within the fuel content or misidentification of a cask occurred. It was found that identification of cask loadings works well through the profile of emitted neutrons in simulated real casks. Even casks with similar overall neutron emission or average counts around the circumference can be distinguished from each other by analyzing the profile. In conclusion, (1) identification of unaltered casks through neutron signature profile is viable; (2) collecting the profile provides insight to the condition and intactness of the fuel stored inside the cask; and (3) the signature profile is stable over time.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1226884}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Fri Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

Conference:
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