Nondestructive assay of subassemblies of various spent or fresh fuels by active neutron interrogation

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6400605

Ragan, G L; Ricker, C W; Chiles, M M; Ingersoll, D T; Slaughter, G G

Recent studies show that subassemblies containing various spent fuels could be assayed rapidly and accurately by a nondestructive assay system using active neutron interrogation and prompt-neutron detection. Subassembly penetration is achieved by 24-keV (Sb--Be) interrogation neutrons; the spent-fuel neutron background is overridden by using strong interrogating sources and prompt-neutron signals, and background gammas are absorbed by lead. Experiments have demonstrated the potential for assaying with better than 5% accuracy, three spent plutonium-fueled subassemblies per hour. Calculations, validated by experiments, predict even better performance for fresh or uranium-fueled subassemblies; several performance estimates are given.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: Not Available; USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6400605
• Report Number(s): CONF-790707-8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101 -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DETECTION
EVALUATION
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL ELEMENTS
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON SOURCES
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
PARTICLE SOURCES
PERFORMANCE
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION SOURCES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS