Flux and fluence determination using the material scrapings approach

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Nuclear Technology; (USA)

OSTI ID:5667557

Manahan, Sr, M P; Basha, H S ^[1]

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1. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (USA)

The conventional approach to flux determination is to use high-purity dosimeters to characterize the neutron field. An alternative approach referred to as the material scrapings method is presented. Steel scrapings are cut from an in-service component and this material is used to measure the specific activity for various reactions. This approach enables the determination of the neutron flux and fluence incident on any component for which small chips of material can be safely obtained. The scrapings methodology was benchmarked by comparison with the results obtained using conventional dosimetry data from the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station Unit 2. Pseudo fast fluxes (E {gt} 1.0 and 0.1 MeV) are calculated by combining the surveillance capsule dosimetry measured activities with the corresponding effective cross sections. The effective cross sections for the reactions of interest are calculated using the analytically determined neutron spectrum at the surveillance capsule position. After the evaluation and testing of the surveillance capsule were completed, scrapings were taken from a broken Charpy specimen. The pseudo fluxes for the {sup 54}Fe(n,p){sup 54}Mn and {sup 58}Ni(n, p){sup 58}Co reactions were calculated using the same cross sections as those used for the capsule dosimetry analysis. The pseudo fluxes determined suing the scrapings dosimetry are within 5% of the corresponding surveillance capsule pseudo fluxes.

• OSTI ID: 5667557
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (USA), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (USA) Vol. 93:3; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
CALCULATION METHODS
DOSIMETRY
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
NEUTRON FLUENCE
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRON SPECTRA
POWER REACTORS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION FLUX
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
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SPECTRA
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS