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Title: Characterization of the neutron source term and multiplicity of a spent fuel assembly in support of NSDA safeguards of spent nuclear fuel

Abstract

The gross neutron signal (GNS) is being considered as part of a fingerprinting or neutron balance approach to safeguards of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Because the GNS is composed of many derivative components, understanding the time-dependent contribution of these derivative components is crucial to gauging the limitations of these approaches. The major components of the GNS are ({alpha}, n), spontaneous fission (SF), and multiplication neutrons. A methodology was developed to link MCNPX burnup output files to SOURCES4C input files for the purpose of automatically generating both the ({alpha}, n) and SF signals. Additional linking capabilities were developed to write MCNPX multiplication input files using the data obtained from the SOURCES4C output files. In this paper, the following are presented: (1) the relative contributions by source nuclide to the ({alpha}, n) signal as a function of initial enrichment/burnup/cooling time; (2) the relative contributions by source nuclide to the SF signal as a function of initial enrichment/burnup/cooling time; (3) the relative contributions by reaction type ({alpha},n vs. SF) to the GNS; and (4) the multiplication of the GNS as a function of initial enrichment/burnup/cooling time/counting environment. By developing these technologies to characterize the GNS, we can better evaluate the viability of themore » GNS fingerprint and neutron balance concepts for SNF.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory
  2. UNIV OF FL.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1018695
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-10-03927; LA-UR-10-3927
TRN: US1103441
DOE Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: INMM 51st Annual Meeting ; July 11, 2010 ; Baltimore, MD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; BURNUP; ISOTOPES; MULTIPLICITY; NEUTRON SOURCES; NEUTRONS; NUCLEAR FUELS; SAFEGUARDS; SPENT FUELS; SPONTANEOUS FISSION; VIABILITY

Citation Formats

Richard, Joshua G, Fensin, Michael L, Tobin, Stephen J, Swinhoe, Martyn T, Menlove, Howard O, and Baciak, James. Characterization of the neutron source term and multiplicity of a spent fuel assembly in support of NSDA safeguards of spent nuclear fuel. United States: N. p., 2010. Web.
Richard, Joshua G, Fensin, Michael L, Tobin, Stephen J, Swinhoe, Martyn T, Menlove, Howard O, & Baciak, James. Characterization of the neutron source term and multiplicity of a spent fuel assembly in support of NSDA safeguards of spent nuclear fuel. United States.
Richard, Joshua G, Fensin, Michael L, Tobin, Stephen J, Swinhoe, Martyn T, Menlove, Howard O, and Baciak, James. 2010. "Characterization of the neutron source term and multiplicity of a spent fuel assembly in support of NSDA safeguards of spent nuclear fuel". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1018695.
@article{osti_1018695,
title = {Characterization of the neutron source term and multiplicity of a spent fuel assembly in support of NSDA safeguards of spent nuclear fuel},
author = {Richard, Joshua G and Fensin, Michael L and Tobin, Stephen J and Swinhoe, Martyn T and Menlove, Howard O and Baciak, James},
abstractNote = {The gross neutron signal (GNS) is being considered as part of a fingerprinting or neutron balance approach to safeguards of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Because the GNS is composed of many derivative components, understanding the time-dependent contribution of these derivative components is crucial to gauging the limitations of these approaches. The major components of the GNS are ({alpha}, n), spontaneous fission (SF), and multiplication neutrons. A methodology was developed to link MCNPX burnup output files to SOURCES4C input files for the purpose of automatically generating both the ({alpha}, n) and SF signals. Additional linking capabilities were developed to write MCNPX multiplication input files using the data obtained from the SOURCES4C output files. In this paper, the following are presented: (1) the relative contributions by source nuclide to the ({alpha}, n) signal as a function of initial enrichment/burnup/cooling time; (2) the relative contributions by source nuclide to the SF signal as a function of initial enrichment/burnup/cooling time; (3) the relative contributions by reaction type ({alpha},n vs. SF) to the GNS; and (4) the multiplication of the GNS as a function of initial enrichment/burnup/cooling time/counting environment. By developing these technologies to characterize the GNS, we can better evaluate the viability of the GNS fingerprint and neutron balance concepts for SNF.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1018695}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}

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