Detection of fuel fragments with a modified ion chamber survey instrument

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Radiation Protection Management; (United States)

OSTI ID:5460094

Goldin, E M; Rigby, W F; Wood, H D ^[1]

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1. Southern California Edison Co., San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, San Clemente, CA (US)

This paper reports that small particles of concentrated fission product contamination were found at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station during Unit 3's first refueling outage. These tiny particles exhibited gamma spectra for Nb-95, Zr-95, Ru-103, Ru-106 (RH-106), Ba-140, La-140, Ce-141, and Ce-144. This composition indicated that the particles were fragments of irradiated fuel rather than the typical mix of activation and fission products associated with normal sources of contamination. The microscopic size and mobile nature of the particles soon caused them to be dubbed fuel fleas. The radionuclides present in these fleas emitted very high energy beta particles, making them a serious skin contamination hazard. To deal with the hazard, a number of unique contamination control measures were implemented. As a part of these measures, a modified ion chamber survey instrument was developed to aid in distinguishing between fuel fragment particles and normal contamination.

• OSTI ID: 5460094
• Journal Information: Radiation Protection Management; (United States), Journal Name: Radiation Protection Management; (United States) Vol. 4:6; ISSN 0740-0640; ISSN RPMAE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
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220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
560101 -- Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies-- Radiation Effects-- Dosimetry & Monitoring-- (1992-)
560180 -- Radiation Protection Procedures-- (1992-)
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
BARIUM 140
BARIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA SOURCES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CERIUM 141
CERIUM 144
CERIUM ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DOSIMETRY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUELS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LANTHANUM 140
LANTHANUM ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORS
NIOBIUM 95
NIOBIUM ISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANS
OUTAGES
PARTICLE SOURCES
POLLUTION SOURCES
POWER REACTORS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION MONITORS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RARE EARTH NUCLEI
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RUTHENIUM 103
RUTHENIUM 106
RUTHENIUM ISOTOPES
SAN ONOFRE-3 REACTOR
SKIN
SPENT FUELS
THERMAL REACTORS
WASTES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ZIRCONIUM 95
ZIRCONIUM ISOTOPES