Testing of a production irradiated fuel assay gauge (LWBR development program)

Technical Report · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5397477

Kahler, A C; Tessler, G

A gauge has been designed and constructed to measure, nondestructively, the fissile content of spent fuel rods from the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) Core. This gauge, called the Production Irradiated Fuel Assay Gauge (PIFAG) uses the method of active neutron interrogation and delayed neutron detection. A set of calibration rods fabricated with the LWBR core and with known, as-fabricated, fuel content and diameters and lengths characteristic of those in the LWBR core are used to calibrate the PIFAG for assay operations. Mechanical and physics testing of the PIFAG was carried out inside a mockup of the actual hot cells in which the PIFAG is being operated. Following extensive testing of mechanical operations, four californium sources containing a total of about 8 mg of /sup 252/Cf were used to verify the nuclear operation of the gauge. PIFAG calibration was obtained for seed, power flattening blanket, and reflector rods. The variation of gauge response with rod speed and ambient temperature, the ability of the gauge to detect small axial gaps in the fuel stack, and the sensitivity of the gauge to the presence of water within the rods were determined. On-line methods for testing the quality of data were also investigated. It is concluded that the PIFAG mechanical and nuclear performance is capable of meeting the limit-of-error requirements for assay of spent LWBR core fuel rods. 42 figs.

• Research Organization: Bettis Atomic Power Lab., West Mifflin, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC11-76PN00014
• OSTI ID: 5397477
• Report Number(s): WAPD-TM-1555; ON: DE86014405
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
FISSILE MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
FUEL RODS
LWBR TYPE REACTORS
CALCULATION METHODS
CALIBRATION
CALIFORNIUM 252
DELAYED NEUTRONS
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BARYONS
BREEDER REACTORS
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FERMIONS
FISSION NEUTRONS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
NEUTRONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
TESTING
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
210500* - Power Reactors
Breeding