Non-Invasive Characterization of Burnup for PWR Spent Fuel Rods with Burnups > 80 GWd/t
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Reactor Physics and Systems Behavior, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)
High-resolution gamma spectroscopy has been employed for the measurement of {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs, {sup 154}Eu/{sup 137}Cs and {sup 134}Cs/{sup 154}Eu gamma intensity ratios from spent fuel with the purpose of deriving pin-averaged single-ratio burnup indicators for high and ultra-high burnups. Two UO{sub 2} pressurised water reactor (PWR) fuel rod segments with record burnup levels >80 GWd/t have been experimentally characterised. Additionally, pin cell depletion calculations have been performed for each sample with the deterministic code CASMO-4, using both its JEF2.2- and its ENDF/B-IV-based libraries, for three different descriptions of the fuel rod irradiation histories, in order to test the sensitivity of the results to neutron cross sections and to the depletion model employed. Measured and calculated ratios have then been compared. It is shown that the {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs ratio, frequently used as burnup monitor, is considerably less accurate for values exceeding 50 GWd/t; discrepancies of up to {approx}25% are found between measured and calculated values. The ratios built with the {sup 154}Eu concentration show much larger discrepancies, essentially because this isotope is rather poorly predicted as revealed by the use of different basic cross section data. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21021094
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2006 International congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'06, Reno - Nevada (United States), 4-8 Jun 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France; 16 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2006 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'06, 2734 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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