Feasibility of Subcriticality and NDA Measurements for Spent Fuel by Frequency Analysis Techniques with ²⁵²Cf

Conference · Mon May 06 00:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:228510

Mihalczo, J. T. ^[1]; Valentine, T. E. ^[1]; Mattingly, J. K. ^[1]

---

1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Instrumentation and Controls Division, Measurement Science Section

The ²⁵²Cf-source-driven frequency analysis method can be used for measuring the subcritical neutron multiplication factor of arrays of LWR fuel and as little as a single PWR fuel assembly. These measurements can be used to verify the criticality safety margins of spent LWR fuel configurations and thus could be a means of obtaining the information to justify burnup credit for spent LWR transportation/storage casks. In addition, the data can be used to validate calculational methods for criticality safety. These measurements provide parameters that have a higher sensitivity to changes in fissile mass than neutron multiplication factor and thus serve as a better test of calculational methods. The analysis has also shown that measurement of the cross power spectral density (CPSD) between detectors on one side of a single fuel assembly and an internal or external ²⁵²Cf source driving the fission chain multiplication process can be used for nondestructive assay of fissile mass along the length of the assembly. This CPSD is a smooth function of fissile mass and does not depend on the varying inherent source in the fuel assembly and thus is ideal for fissile mass assay.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Instrumentation and Controls Division, Measurement Science Section
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• OSTI ID: 228510
• Report Number(s): CONF-960521-6; ON: DE96009718; TRN: 96:012290
• Resource Relation: Conference: 2. American Nuclear Society (ANS) Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies (NPIC & HMIT '96), University Park, PA (United States), 6-8 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: [1996]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
SPENT FUELS
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
FISSILE MATERIALS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
CRITICALITY
FUEL STORAGE POOLS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Cross Power Spectral Density (CPSD)
Single Fuel Assembly
Neutron Multiplication Factor
Monte Carlo Methods
Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)
Nondestructive Assay (NDA)
Light Water Reactor (LWR)
Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)