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Fission product release from SLOWPOKE-2 reactors

Abstract

Increasing radiation fields at several SLOWPOKE-2 reactors fuelled with highly enriched uranium aluminum alloy fuel have begun to interfere with the daily operation of these reactors. To investigate this phenomenon, samples of reactor container water and gas from the headspace were obtained at four SLOWPOKE-2 reactor facilities and examined by gamma ray spectroscopy methods. These radiation fields are due to the circulation of fission products within the reactor container vessel. The most likely source of the fission product release is an area of uranium-bearing material exposed to the coolant at the end weld line which originated at the time of fuel fabrication. The results of this study are compared with observations from an underwater visual examination of one core and the metallographic examination of archived fuel elements. 19 refs., 4 tabs., 8 figs.
Authors:
Harnden-Gillis, A M.C. [1] 
  1. Queen`s Univ., Kingston, ON (Canada). Dept. of Physics
Publication Date:
Dec 31, 1993
Product Type:
Conference
Report Number:
INIS-CA-0009; CONF-9304317-
Reference Number:
SCA: 220600; PA: AIX-28:057355; EDB-97:116797; SN: 97001841587
Resource Relation:
Conference: 18. annual student conference CNA/CNS, Montreal (Canada), 2-3 Apr 1993; Other Information: PBD: 1993; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 18. annual student conference CNA/CNS; Tye, P. [ed.]; PB: 239 p.
Subject:
22 NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY; ALLOY NUCLEAR FUELS; FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE; SLOWPOKE TYPE REACTORS; ALUMINIUM ALLOYS; FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE; HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM; RADIATION MONITORING; REACTOR SAFETY; WELDED JOINTS
OSTI ID:
517105
Research Organizations:
Canadian Nuclear Society, Toronto, ON (Canada); Canadian Nuclear Association, Toronto, ON (Canada)
Country of Origin:
Canada
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE97638270; TRN: CA9700540057355
Availability:
INIS; OSTI as DE97638270
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
pp. 54-77
Announcement Date:
Sep 22, 1997

Citation Formats

Harnden-Gillis, A M.C. Fission product release from SLOWPOKE-2 reactors. Canada: N. p., 1993. Web.
Harnden-Gillis, A M.C. Fission product release from SLOWPOKE-2 reactors. Canada.
Harnden-Gillis, A M.C. 1993. "Fission product release from SLOWPOKE-2 reactors." Canada.
@misc{etde_517105,
title = {Fission product release from SLOWPOKE-2 reactors}
author = {Harnden-Gillis, A M.C.}
abstractNote = {Increasing radiation fields at several SLOWPOKE-2 reactors fuelled with highly enriched uranium aluminum alloy fuel have begun to interfere with the daily operation of these reactors. To investigate this phenomenon, samples of reactor container water and gas from the headspace were obtained at four SLOWPOKE-2 reactor facilities and examined by gamma ray spectroscopy methods. These radiation fields are due to the circulation of fission products within the reactor container vessel. The most likely source of the fission product release is an area of uranium-bearing material exposed to the coolant at the end weld line which originated at the time of fuel fabrication. The results of this study are compared with observations from an underwater visual examination of one core and the metallographic examination of archived fuel elements. 19 refs., 4 tabs., 8 figs.}
place = {Canada}
year = {1993}
month = {Dec}
}