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Title: Method and apparatus for measuring irradiated fuel profiles

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6648264

A new apparatus is used to substantially instantaneously obtain a profile of an object, for example a spent fuel assembly, which profile (when normalized) has unexpectedly been found to be substantially identical to the normalized profile of the burnup monitor Cs-137 obtained with a germanium detector. That profile can be used without normalization in a new method of identifying and monitoring in order to determine for example whether any of the fuel has been removed. Alternatively, two other new methods involve calibrating that profile so as to obtain a determination of fuel burnup (which is important for complying with safeguards requirements, for utilizing fuel to an optimal extent, and for storing spent fuel in a minimal amount of space).

DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy
OSTI ID:
6648264
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English