Nondestructive assay of UO/sub 2/--ThO/sub 2/ fuel pellets using the delayed neutron pellet assay gage (LWBR Development Program)

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6112416· OSTI ID:6112416

Emert, C. J.; Milani, S.; Beggs, W. J.

This report describes the use of a delayed neutron pellet assay gage to determine nondestructively the fissile content of fuel pellets during the manufacture of the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) core. The gage characteristics are described including the nature of the calibration curves and the gage sensitivities to pellet parameters. Statistical methods are derived for analyzing the data to obtain the mean weight percent of total uranium in each blend of fuel material as well as the loading precision of each fuel rod. The fissile loading of each fuel rod was determined to better than 0.25% at the 2 sigma level, and the fissile content of eight fuel compositions in the LWBR core was obtained to better than 0.1%. Use of this gage and the data analysis methods described in this report reduced the need for destructive chemical analysis of fuel pellets by a factor of two.

• Research Organization: Bettis Atomic Power Lab., West Mifflin, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-11-0014
• OSTI ID: 6112416
• Report Number(s): WAPD-TM-1368
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
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