Spent-fuel cooling curve for safeguard applications of gross-gamma measurements

Technical Report · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6223174· OSTI ID:6223174

Rinard, P

Gross-gamma detectors can be used to gather data from spent-fuel assemblies in a simple and rapid manner. Using these data, inspectors can generate a power-law curve to check the consistency of the declared values with the measured values; points outside the curve indicate erroneously declared values or removal of material. Simple types of erroneously declared values can be detected immediately, whereas subtle types may require a second measurement and more subtle types may escape detection. If measurements of passive emissions of neutrons from the assemblies are made in addition to the gamma measurements, the values of the exposures and cooling times can be estimated independent of the operator-declared values. Although not yet demonstrated, it may be possible to obtain crude estimates of the exposures and cooling times from the gamma measurments alone.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6223174
• Report Number(s): LA-9757-MS; ISPO-195; ON: DE83013224
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
COOLING
DECAY
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
GAMMA DETECTION
INSPECTION
NEUTRON DETECTION
RADIATION DOSES
SAFEGUARDS
DETECTION
DOSES
FUEL ELEMENTS
RADIATION DETECTION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
055001* - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability- Technical Aspects