A Tomographic Method for Verification of the Integrity of Spent Nuclear Fuel Assemblies - II: Experimental Investigation

Journal Article · Wed Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2001 · Nuclear Technology

OSTI ID:20822287

Jacobsson, Staffan; Hakansson, Ane; Jansson, Peter; Baecklin, Anders ^[1]

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1. Uppsala University (Sweden)

A tomographic method for verification of the integrity of used light water reactor fuel has been experimentally investigated. The method utilizes emitted gamma rays from fission products in the fuel rods. The radiation field is recorded in a large number of positions relative to the assembly, whereby the source distribution is reconstructed using a special-purpose reconstruction code.An 8 x 8 boiling water reactor fuel assembly has been measured at the Swedish interim storage (CLAB), using installed gamma-scanning equipment modified for the purpose of tomography. The equipment allows the mapping of the radiation field around a fuel assembly with the aid of a germanium detector fitted with a collimator with a vertical slit. Two gamma-ray energies were recorded: 662 keV ({sup 137}Cs) and 1274 keV ({sup 154}Eu). The intensities measured in 2520 detector positions were used as input for the tomographic reconstruction code. The results agreed very well with simulations and significantly revealed a position containing a water channel in the central part of the assembly.

• OSTI ID: 20822287
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 135; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CESIUM 137
EUROPIUM 154
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL RODS
GAMMA RADIATION
GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
SPENT FUELS
VERIFICATION
WASTE STORAGE