Implementation of the active neutron Coincidence Collar for the verification of unirradiated PWR and BWR fuel assemblies

Technical Report · Mon Nov 08 04:00:00 EST 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7013784· OSTI ID:7013784

Menlove, H. O. ^[1]; Keddar, A. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

An active neutron interrogation technique has been developed for the measurement of the /sup 235/U content in fresh fuel assemblies. The method employs an AmLi neutron source to induce fission reactions in the fuel assembly and coincidence counting of the resulting fission reaction neutrons. When no interrogation source is present, the passive neutron coincidence rate gives a measure of the ²³⁸U by the spontaneous fission reactions. The system can be applied to the fissile content determination in fresh fuel assemblies for accountability, criticality control, and safeguards purposes. Field tests have been performed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) staff using the Coincidence Collar to verify the ²³⁵U content in light-water-reactor fuel assemblies. The results gave an accuracy of 1 to 2% in the active mode (²³⁵U) and 2 to 3% in the passive mode (²³⁸U) under field conditions.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7013784
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--82-2797; CONF-821119-3; IAEA-SM-260/104; ON: DE83000608
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400103 -- Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures-- (-1987)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCOUNTING
ACCURACY
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BEAMS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COINCIDENCE METHODS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DATA
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIELD TESTS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRON BEAMS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR REACTION ANALYSIS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON BEAMS
NUMERICAL DATA
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PARTICLE BEAMS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
SAFEGUARDS
TESTING
URANIUM 235
URANIUM ISOTOPES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES