Citation:
J.M. Eigenbrodt, W.S. Charlton, A.A. Solodov, “Sensitivity Analysis and Benchmarking of Low and Broad Energy Photon Measurements for Spent Nuclear Fuel”, GLOBAL 2011, Makuhar, Japan, December 11-16, 2011.
Abstract:
While gamma measurements are a well understood technique for estimating burn up and cooling time in spent nuclear fuel, only a few isotopes are currently used and calculations are dependent on operator declarations. Utilizing a larger set of nuclide measurements as well as including low energy measurements (around 100 keV) could provide a significant increase in the information gained from such measurements. Nuclides investigated in this work include 235U, 238U, 239Pu, 240Pu, 137Cs, 154Eu, 241Am, 155Eu, 149Sm, and 155Gd. Low energy, broad range, and high energy gamma measurements have been performed on a variety of spent uranium dioxide and MOX fuel from PWRs. Selected measured fuel locations have been simulated with Origen, TransLAT, SCALE, and Monteburns to benchmark each of these programs with destructive analysis results. Monteburns was identified as the most accurate program for prediction of isotopes of interest and will be used for future analysis. Origen was chosen as a quick but relatively accurate program to perform a preliminary sensitivity analysis of the effects of fuel parameters (burnup, cooling time, and initial enrichment) on each nuclide measurement.