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Title: Reactors as a Source of Antineutrinos: Effects of Fuel Loading and Burnup for Mixed-Oxide Fuels

Journal Article · · Physical Review Applied
 [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division
  2. Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States). Nuclear and Radiological Engineering Program
+ Show Author Affiliations

In a conventional light-water reactor loaded with a range of uranium and plutonium-based fuel mixtures, the variation in antineutrino production over the cycle reflects both the initial core fissile inventory and its evolution. Under an assumption of constant thermal power, we calculate here the rate at which antineutrinos are emitted from variously fueled cores, and the evolution of that rate as measured by a representative ton-scale antineutrino detector. We find that antineutrino flux decreases with burnup for low-enriched uranium cores, increases for full mixed-oxide (MOX) cores, and does not appreciably change for cores with a MOX fraction of approximately 75%. Accounting for uncertainties in the fission yields in the emitted antineutrino spectra and the detector response function, we show that the difference in corewide MOX fractions at least as small as 8% can be distinguished using a hypothesis test. The test compares the evolution of the antineutrino rate relative to an initial value over part or all of the cycle. The use of relative rates reduces the sensitivity of the test to an independent thermal power measurement, making the result more robust against possible countermeasures. This rate-only approach also offers the potential advantage of reducing the cost and complexity of the antineutrino detectors used to verify the diversion, compared to methods that depend on the use of the antineutrino spectrum. A possible application is the verification of the disposition of surplus plutonium in nuclear reactors.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
OSTI ID:
1512620
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1416072
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-712137; 849624
Journal Information:
Physical Review Applied, Vol. 9, Issue 1; ISSN 2331-7019
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 8 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (1)

Employing antineutrino detectors to safeguard future nuclear reactors from diversions journal August 2019

Figures / Tables (13)

FIG. 1(p. 5)figure FIG. 1
Table I(p. 5)table Table I
FIG. 2(p. 6)figure FIG. 2
FIG. 3(p. 6)figure FIG. 3
Table II(p. 6)table Table II
FIG. 4(p. 7)figure FIG. 4
FIG. 5(p. 8)figure FIG. 5
FIG. 6(p. 9)figure FIG. 6
FIG. 7(p. 9)figure FIG. 7
Table III(p. 9)table Table III
FIG. 8(p. 10)figure FIG. 8
FIG. 9(p. 10)figure FIG. 9
Table IV(p. 11)table Table IV

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