Nondestructive assay methods for irradiated nuclear fuels

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5153553· OSTI ID:5153553

Hsue, S T; Crane, T W; Talbert, Jr, W L; Lee, J C

This report is a review of the status of nondestructive assay (NDA) methods used to determine burnup and fissile content of irradiated nuclear fuels. The gamma-spectroscopy method measures gamma activities of certain fission products that are proportional to the burnup. Problems associated with this method are migration of the fission products and gamma-ray attenuation through the relatively dense fuel material. The attenuation correction is complicated by generally unknown activity distributions within the assemblies. The neutron methods, which usually involve active interrogation and prompt or delayed signal counting, are designed to assay the fissile content of the spent-fuel elements. Systems to assay highly enriched spent-fuel assemblies have been tested extensively. Feasibility studies have been reported of systems to assay light-water reactor spent-fuel assemblies. The slowing-down spectrometer and neutron resonance absorption methods can distinguish between the uranium and plutonium fissile contents, but they are limited to the assay of individual rods. We have summarized the status of NDA techniques for spent-fuel assay and present some subjects in need of further investigation. Accuracy of the burnup calculations for power reactors is also reviewed.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5153553
• Report Number(s): LA-6923
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ABSORPTION
BURNUP
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CANDU TYPE REACTORS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FUELS
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS
NEUTRON DETECTION
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NUCLEAR FUELS
POWER REACTORS
PRESSURE TUBE REACTORS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION DETECTION
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESONANCE ABSORPTION
REVIEWS
SPECTROSCOPY
SPENT FUELS
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS