Rapid scanning system for fuel drawers

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:863997

Caldwell, John T ^[1]; Fehlau, Paul E ^[1]; France, Stephen W ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A nondestructive method for uniqely distinguishing among and quantifying the mass of individual fuel plates in situ in fuel drawers utilized in nuclear reactors is described. The method is both rapid and passive, eliminating the personnel hazard of the commonly used irradiation techniques which require that the analysis be performed in proximity to an intense neutron source such as a reactor. In the present technique, only normally decaying nuclei are observed. This allows the analysis to be performed anywhere. This feature, combined with rapid scanning of a given fuel drawer (in approximately 30 s), and the computer data analysis allows the processing of large numbers of fuel drawers efficiently in the event of a loss alert.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4291227
• OSTI ID: 863997
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

rapid
scanning
fuel
drawers
nondestructive
method
uniqely
distinguishing
quantifying
mass
individual
plates
situ
utilized
nuclear
reactors
described
passive
eliminating
personnel
hazard
commonly
irradiation
techniques
require
analysis
performed
proximity
intense
neutron
source
reactor
technique
normally
decaying
nuclei
observed
allows
feature
combined
drawer
approximately
30
computer
data
processing
efficiently
event
loss
alert
nondestructive method
individual fuel
data analysis
nuclear reactors
nuclear reactor
neutron source
dual fuel
fuel plate
fuel drawers
fuel plates
intense neutron
/250/376/976/