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The underwater coincidence counter for plutonium measurements in mixed-oxide fuel assemblies manual

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/752383· OSTI ID:752383
This manual describes the Underwater Coincidence Counter (UWCC) that has been designed for the measurement of plutonium in mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies prior to irradiation. The UWCC uses high-efficiency {sup 3}He neutron detectors to measure the spontaneous-fission and induced-fission rates in the fuel assembly. Measurements can be made on MOX fuel assemblies in air or underwater. The neutron counting rate is analyzed for singles, doubles, and triples time correlations to determine the {sup 240}Pu effective mass per unit length of the fuel assembly. The system can verify the plutonium loading per unit length to a precision of less than 1% in a measurement time of 2 to 3 minutes. System design, components, performance tests, and operational characteristics are described in this manual.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy (US)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
752383
Report Number(s):
LA-13574-M
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English