Validation of Spent Fuel Dose Rate Calculations Using NDA Measurement Campaign Data

Technical Report · Fri May 29 04:00:00 EDT 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1661877· OSTI ID:1661877

Cao, Yan ^[1]; Boyd, Matthew ^[1]; Feng, Bo ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

The predicted radiation gamma dose rate is a key parameter to determine if a spent nuclear fuel assembly is self-protected from misuse as well as an indicator for worker/inspector safety. Recent studies showed that using state-of-the-art techniques for dose rate calculations, including the one adopted for this study, the numerical calculations of the gamma dose rates are three times lower than those from the most commonly-cited reference values for spent LWR fuel used by domestic and international agencies. With only a few publically available experimental data points worldwide for this type of benchmark study, the gamma flux measurements from the Spent Fuel Non Destructive Assay (NDA) measurement campaign can be used to help validate the physics approach used in calculating gamma dose rates. Specifically, this data would validate the gamma flux calculation from spent fuel, which is a key component of these multi-physics techniques for dose rate assessments; dose rate measurements were not part of the NDA campaign. These data are primarily the passive gamma measurements of the spent nuclear fuel assemblies from the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB).

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1661877
• Report Number(s): ANL--20/54; 162121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY