An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation
A method to determine the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel segment sample by means of non-destructive assay conducted under standard controlled-area conditions is described and demonstrated. A neutron well counter designed for routine nuclear safeguards applications is applied. The me...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Energy Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2023.1162367/full |
| _version_ | 1797835097205899264 |
|---|---|
| author | Peter Schillebeeckx M. Verwerft P. Romojaro G. Žerovnik N. Messaoudi G. Alaerts L. Fiorito K. Govers J. Paepen Y. Parthoens B. Pedersen A. Stankovskiy G. Van den Eynde R. Wynants |
| author_facet | Peter Schillebeeckx M. Verwerft P. Romojaro G. Žerovnik N. Messaoudi G. Alaerts L. Fiorito K. Govers J. Paepen Y. Parthoens B. Pedersen A. Stankovskiy G. Van den Eynde R. Wynants |
| author_sort | Peter Schillebeeckx |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A method to determine the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel segment sample by means of non-destructive assay conducted under standard controlled-area conditions is described and demonstrated. A neutron well counter designed for routine nuclear safeguards applications is applied. The method relies on a transfer procedure that is adapted to the hot cell facilities at the Laboratory for High and Medium level Activity of SCK CEN in Belgium. Experiments with 252Cf(sf) sources, certified for their neutron emission rate, were carried out at the Joint Research Centre to determine the characteristics of the detection device. Measurements of a segment of a spent nuclear fuel rod were carried out at SCK CEN resulting in an absolute and non-destructive measurement of the neutron production rate avoiding any reference to a representative spent nuclear fuel sample to calibrate the device. Results of these measurements were used to study the performance of depletion codes, i.e., ALEPH2, SCALE, and Serpent2. The study includes a code-to-code and code-to-experiment comparison using different nuclear data libraries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:48:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6baf1f31a2914f99b0af33c144dffa92 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-598X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:48:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Energy Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-6baf1f31a2914f99b0af33c144dffa922023-05-02T10:21:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Energy Research2296-598X2023-04-011110.3389/fenrg.2023.11623671162367An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validationPeter Schillebeeckx0M. Verwerft1P. Romojaro2G. Žerovnik3N. Messaoudi4G. Alaerts5L. Fiorito6K. Govers7J. Paepen8Y. Parthoens9B. Pedersen10A. Stankovskiy11G. Van den Eynde12R. Wynants13European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, BelgiumBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumJožef Stefan Institute (JSI), Ljubljana, SloveniaBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, BelgiumBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, BelgiumBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, ItalyBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, BelgiumEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, BelgiumA method to determine the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel segment sample by means of non-destructive assay conducted under standard controlled-area conditions is described and demonstrated. A neutron well counter designed for routine nuclear safeguards applications is applied. The method relies on a transfer procedure that is adapted to the hot cell facilities at the Laboratory for High and Medium level Activity of SCK CEN in Belgium. Experiments with 252Cf(sf) sources, certified for their neutron emission rate, were carried out at the Joint Research Centre to determine the characteristics of the detection device. Measurements of a segment of a spent nuclear fuel rod were carried out at SCK CEN resulting in an absolute and non-destructive measurement of the neutron production rate avoiding any reference to a representative spent nuclear fuel sample to calibrate the device. Results of these measurements were used to study the performance of depletion codes, i.e., ALEPH2, SCALE, and Serpent2. The study includes a code-to-code and code-to-experiment comparison using different nuclear data libraries.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2023.1162367/fullneutron emissionneutron correlation countingspent nuclear fuel (SNF)depletion calculationspontaneous fission |
| spellingShingle | Peter Schillebeeckx M. Verwerft P. Romojaro G. Žerovnik N. Messaoudi G. Alaerts L. Fiorito K. Govers J. Paepen Y. Parthoens B. Pedersen A. Stankovskiy G. Van den Eynde R. Wynants An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation Frontiers in Energy Research neutron emission neutron correlation counting spent nuclear fuel (SNF) depletion calculation spontaneous fission |
| title | An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation |
| title_full | An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation |
| title_fullStr | An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation |
| title_full_unstemmed | An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation |
| title_short | An absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation |
| title_sort | absolute measurement of the neutron production rate of a spent nuclear fuel sample used for depletion code validation |
| topic | neutron emission neutron correlation counting spent nuclear fuel (SNF) depletion calculation spontaneous fission |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2023.1162367/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT peterschillebeeckx anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT mverwerft anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT promojaro anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT gzerovnik anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT nmessaoudi anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT galaerts anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT lfiorito anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT kgovers anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT jpaepen anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT yparthoens anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT bpedersen anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT astankovskiy anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT gvandeneynde anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT rwynants anabsolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT peterschillebeeckx absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT mverwerft absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT promojaro absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT gzerovnik absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT nmessaoudi absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT galaerts absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT lfiorito absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT kgovers absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT jpaepen absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT yparthoens absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT bpedersen absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT astankovskiy absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT gvandeneynde absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation AT rwynants absolutemeasurementoftheneutronproductionrateofaspentnuclearfuelsampleusedfordepletioncodevalidation |