The Fork+ burnup measurement system: Design and first measurement campaign
- Sandia National Labs. (United States)
- Electric Power Research Inst. (United States)
- Maine Yankee Atomic Power Co., Westboro, MA (United States)
Previous work with the original Fork detector showed that burnup as determined by reactor records could be accurately allocated to spent nuclear fuel assemblies. The original Fork detector, designed by Los Alamos National Laboratory, used an ion chamber to measure gross gamma count and a fission chamber to measure neutrons from an activation source, {sup 244}Cm. In its review of the draft Topical Report on Burnup Credit, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission indicated it felt uncomfortable with a measurement system that depended on reactor records for calibration. The Fork+ system was developed at Sandia National Laboratories under the sponsorship of the Electric Power Research Institute with the aim of providing this independent measurement capability. The initial Fork+ prototype was used in a measurement campaign at the Maine Yankee reactor. The campaign confirmed the applicability of the sensor approach in the Fork+ system and the efficiency of the hand-portable Fork+ prototype in making fuel assembly measurements. It also indicated potential design modifications that will be necessary before the Fork+ can be used effectively on high-burnup spent fuel.
- OSTI ID:
- 298332
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-981106-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 99:001963
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 79; Conference: American Nuclear Society winter meeting, Washington, DC (United States), 15-19 Nov 1998; Other Information: PBD: 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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