Using the Time-Correlated Induced Fission Method to Simultaneously Measure the 235U Content and the Burnable Poison Content in LWR Fuel Assemblies
Abstract
The uranium neutron coincidence collar uses thermal neutron interrogation to verify the 235U mass in low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel assemblies in fuel fabrication facilities. Burnable poisons are commonly added to nuclear fuel to increase the lifetime of the fuel. The high thermal neutron absorption by these poisons reduces the active neutron signal produced by the fuel. Burnable poison correction factors or fast-mode runs with Cd liners can help compensate for this effect, but the correction factors rely on operator declarations of burnable poison content, and fast-mode runs are time-consuming. Finally, this paper describes a new analysis method to measure the 235U mass and burnable poison content in LEU nuclear fuel simultaneously in a timely manner, without requiring additional hardware.
- Authors:
-
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1441322
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-17-31390
Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5450; TRN: US1900900
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Nuclear Technology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 203; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5450
- Publisher:
- Taylor & Francis - formerly American Nuclear Society (ANS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; safeguards; data analysis; active interrogation
Citation Formats
Root, M. A., Menlove, H. O., Lanza, R. C., Rael, C. D., Miller, K. A., Marlow, J. B., and Wendelberger, J. G. Using the Time-Correlated Induced Fission Method to Simultaneously Measure the 235U Content and the Burnable Poison Content in LWR Fuel Assemblies. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1080/00295450.2018.1429112.
Root, M. A., Menlove, H. O., Lanza, R. C., Rael, C. D., Miller, K. A., Marlow, J. B., & Wendelberger, J. G. Using the Time-Correlated Induced Fission Method to Simultaneously Measure the 235U Content and the Burnable Poison Content in LWR Fuel Assemblies. United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2018.1429112
Root, M. A., Menlove, H. O., Lanza, R. C., Rael, C. D., Miller, K. A., Marlow, J. B., and Wendelberger, J. G. Wed .
"Using the Time-Correlated Induced Fission Method to Simultaneously Measure the 235U Content and the Burnable Poison Content in LWR Fuel Assemblies". United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2018.1429112. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1441322.
@article{osti_1441322,
title = {Using the Time-Correlated Induced Fission Method to Simultaneously Measure the 235U Content and the Burnable Poison Content in LWR Fuel Assemblies},
author = {Root, M. A. and Menlove, H. O. and Lanza, R. C. and Rael, C. D. and Miller, K. A. and Marlow, J. B. and Wendelberger, J. G.},
abstractNote = {The uranium neutron coincidence collar uses thermal neutron interrogation to verify the 235U mass in low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel assemblies in fuel fabrication facilities. Burnable poisons are commonly added to nuclear fuel to increase the lifetime of the fuel. The high thermal neutron absorption by these poisons reduces the active neutron signal produced by the fuel. Burnable poison correction factors or fast-mode runs with Cd liners can help compensate for this effect, but the correction factors rely on operator declarations of burnable poison content, and fast-mode runs are time-consuming. Finally, this paper describes a new analysis method to measure the 235U mass and burnable poison content in LEU nuclear fuel simultaneously in a timely manner, without requiring additional hardware.},
doi = {10.1080/00295450.2018.1429112},
journal = {Nuclear Technology},
number = 1,
volume = 203,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 21 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Wed Mar 21 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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Works referenced in this record:
Monte carlo feasibility study of an active neutron assay technique for full-volume UF6 cylinder assay using a correlated interrogation source
journal, March 2013
- Miller, Karen A.; Menlove, Howard O.; Swinhoe, Martyn T.
- Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 703
The development of a new, neutron, time correlated, interrogation method for measurement of 235U content in LWR fuel assemblies
journal, February 2013
- Menlove, H. O.; Menlove, S. H.; Rael, C. D.
- Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 701
Technical Basis for the Use of a Correlated Neutron Source in the Uranium Neutron Coincidence Collar
journal, February 2017
- Root, M. A.; Menlove, H. O.; Lanza, R. C.
- Nuclear Technology, Vol. 197, Issue 2
Comparison of fresh fuel experimental measurements to MCNPX calculations using self-interrogation neutron resonance densitometry
journal, July 2012
- LaFleur, Adrienne M.; Charlton, William S.; Menlove, Howard O.
- Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 680