Internet accessible hot cell with gamma spectroscopy at the Missouri S&T nuclear reactor

A dual-chambered internet-accessible heavily shielded facility with pneumatic access to the University of Missouri Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) 200 kW Research Nuclear Reactor (MSTR) core has been built and is currently available for irradiation and analysis of samples. The facility allows authorized distance users engaged in collaborative activities with Missouri S&T to remotely manipulate and analyze neutron irradiated samples. The system consists of two shielded compartments, one for multiple sample storage, and the other dedicated exclusively for radiation measurements and spectroscopy. The second chamber has multiple detector ports, with graded shielding, and has the capability to support gamma spectroscopy using radiation detectors such as an HPGe detector. Both these chambers are connected though a rapid pneumatic system with access to the MSTR nuclear reactor core. This new internet-based system complements the MSTR's current bare pneumatic tube (BPT) and cadmium lined pneumatic tube (CPT) facilities. The total transportation time between the core and the hot cell, for samples weighing 10 g, irradiated in the MSTR core, is roughly 3.0 s. This work was funded by the DOE grant number DE-FG07-07ID14852 and expands the capabilities of teaching and research at the MSTR. It allows individuals who do not have on-site access to a nuclear reactor facility to remotely participate in research and educational activities.     

Measurement of carbon distribution in nuclear fuel pin cladding specimens by means of a secondary ion mass spectrometer

Cladding carburization during irradiation of advanced mixed uranium plutonium carbide fast breeder reactor fuel is possibly a life limiting fuel pin factor. The quantitative assessment of such clad carbon embrittlement is difficult to perform by electron microprobe analysis because of sample surface contamination, and due to the very low energy of the carbon K_α X-ray transition.The work presented here describes a method developed at the Swiss Federal Institute for Reactor Research (EIR) to use shielded secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) as an accurate tool to determine radial distribution profiles of carbon in radioactive stainless steel fuel pin cladding. Compared with nuclear microprobe analysis (NMA) [1], which is also an accurate method for carbon analysis, the SIMS method distinguishes itself by its versatility for simultaneous determination of additional impurities.     

Recovery of Uranium and Plutonium from Spent Fuel Elements of Nuclear Reactors

The results of investigations of the preliminary removal of the products of radioactive decomposition from irradiated nuclear fuel to obtain uranium and plutonium which are suitable for reuse in fuel fabrication are presented. Nitrate-alkali melts are used for the operation. The experiments are performed on simulators and irradiated samples of BOR-60 fuel in remote-controlled hot boxes. The coefficients of removal of fission products are presented. A technological scheme, which will shorten the fuel cycle, for purifying hot nuclear fuel is recommended. __________ Translated from Atomnaya Energiya, Vol. 99, No. 5, pp. 387–392, November, 2005.     

Fission product release under severe accidental conditions: general presentation of the program and synthesis of VERCORS 1–6 results

The French Nuclear Protection and Safety Institute (IPSN) launched the HEVA-VERCORS program in 1983, in collaboration with Electricité de France (EDF). This program is devoted to the source term of fission products (FP) released from PWR fuel samples during a sequence representative of a severe accident. The analytical experiments are conducted in a shielded hot cell of the LAMA facility of the Grenoble center of CEA (Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique); as simplified tests addressing a limited number of phenomena, they give results complementary to those of the more global in-pile PHEBUS experiments. Six VERCORS tests have been conducted from 1989–1994 with higher fuel temperatures (up to 2600 K) compared with the earlier HEVA tests in order, in particular, to quantify better the release of lower volatile FPs. This paper gives an overview of the experimental facility, a synthesis of FP release from these tests and exhibits, as an example, some specific results of the VERCORS 6 test, performed with high burn-up fuel (60 GWd tU⁻¹). The on-going VERCORS HT–RT program, designed to reach fuel liquefaction temperatures, is described before conclusions are drawn.     

Quantification and local distribution of hydrogen within Zircaloy-4 PWR nuclear fuel cladding tubes at the nuclear microprobe of the Pierre Süe Laboratory from μ-ERDA

Hydrogen content and its distribution in in-core materials of nuclear plants are known to have a strong influence on their behaviour, especially on their mechanical properties but also on their corrosion resistance. This point has to be largely investigated in the case of the nuclear fuel cladding (Zr based alloys) of pressurized water reactors (PWR).Two situations have been considered here, with regards to the hydrogen content and its spatial distribution within the thickness of the tubes:

(1)

Irradiated fuel cladding tubes after a nominal period under working conditions in a PWR core.

(2)

Non-irradiated fuel cladding previously exposed to conditions representative of an hypothetical “loss of coolant accident” scenario (LOCA).

As far as micrometric distributions of H were required, μ-ERDA has been performed at the nuclear microprobe of the Pierre Süe Laboratory. This facility is fitted with two beam lines. In the first one, used for non-active sample analysis, the μ-ERDA configuration has been improved to reduce the limits of detection and the reliability of the results. The second one offers the unique feature of being dedicated to radioactive samples. We will present the nuclear microprobe and emphasize on the μ-ERDA configuration of the two beam lines. We will illustrate the performance of the setup by describing the results obtained for Zircaloy-4 cladding both on non-irradiated and irradiated samples.     

面向强放热室退役的高效复合去污技术研究

强放热室作为反应堆材料辐照检验的配套设施,其辐射水平高、结构复杂、去污难度较大。针对强放热室退役不锈钢壳体去污的特殊性和复杂性,开展了高压水射流去污、可剥离膜去污和机械打磨去污3个单项去污试验和去污工艺试验研究,并创新性的提出了一种强放热室不锈钢壳体高效复合去污工艺。经工程去污实践验证,去污后热室不锈钢覆面表面污染水平均低于40 Bq/cm2,去污因子最高达110以上,达到了国内先进水平。热室高效复合去污技术的研发解决了强放热室不锈钢壳体表面去污的技术难题,降低了退役阶段工作人员的受照剂量,保护了工作人员和环境的安全,具有显著的经济、社会效益。      

Review of the development of the transportation,aging, and disposal (TAD) waste disposal system for the proposed Yucca Mountain geologic repository

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) began studying Yucca Mountain in 1978 to determine whether it would be suitable for the nation’s first long-tem geologic repository for over 70,000 metric tons of spent (or used) nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The purpose of the continuing Yucca Mountain study, or project, is to comply with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 as amended in 1987 and develop a national disposal site for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste disposal. In 2005, DOE shifted the design of the proposed repository from a concept of unloading spent nuclear fuel from transportation canisters and loading into disposal canisters (which required a great deal of handling radioactive material at the repository site) to a “clean” facility, unveiling the transportation, aging, and disposal (TAD) canister system. The TAD waste system consists of a canister loaded with commercial spent nuclear fuel.This review paper provides a comprehensive review on the status of TAD, technical and licensing requirements, the work that has been done so far, and the challenges and issues that must be addressed before TAD can be successfully implemented. Though the future of the Yucca Mountain project is bleak at this point, the progress that has come in the field of TAD will be one of its lasting legacies.     

Simulated model studies for solid waste storage surveillance facility

High level radioactive waste generated from reprocessing of spent fuel from nuclear reactors are encased in canisters after vitrification. They have high heat generation rate and need interim storage under surveillance and are to be cooled continuously until major portion of the heat is dissipated. Natural circulation air cooling (using suitable stack dimensions) has been considered to cool the overpacks containing canisters. Thermal analysis has been carried out for a reduced scale model of such a facility. Theoretical and experimental results have been compared.     

Mechanical shielded hot cell

It is planned to erect a mechanical shielded hot cell in the process hall of the Radiochemical Laboratory at Inchas. The hot cell is designed for safe handling of spent fuel bundles, from the Inchas reactor, and for dismantling and cutting the fuel rods in preparation for subsequent treatment. The biological shielding allows for the safe handling of a total radioactivity level up to 10,000 MeV-Ci. The hot cell consists of an α-tight stainless-steel box, 1.6 × 1.5 × 1.5 m₃, connected to a λ-shielded SAS, 0.9 × 1.0 × 1.6 M³, through an air-lock containing a movable carriage. The α-box is tightly connected with six dry-storage cavities for adequate storage of the spent fuel bundles. Both the α-box, with the dry-storage cavities, and the SAS are surrounded by 200-mm thick biological lead shielding. The α-box is equipped with two master-slave manipulators, a lead-glass window, a monorail crane and Padirac and Minirag systems. The SAS is equipped with a lead-glass window, tong manipulator, a shielded pit and a mechanism for the entry of the spent fuel bundle. The hot cell is served by adequate ventilation and monitoring systems.     

高活度废放射源整备装置热室照明设计

良好的照明是保证在热室中顺利完成废放射源整备的关键因素之一。本文根据国际照明委员会照明标准和热室照明的特殊要求,分析了高活度废放射源整备装置内部照明的设计、灯具布置及其他问题,确定采用了泛光照明方式,并对照度分布进行了验证。     

核燃料循环设施物项安全分级方法研究

简单合理的物项安全分级,不仅可以提高设施的安全性,而且还可以减少审评双方的分歧,降低营运单位和设计单位的工作量。在分析国内外核动力装置采用核安全功能进行物项安全分级和乏燃料后处理设施采用剂量准则开展物项安全分级的基础上,研究提出了采用放射性物质包容量开展核燃料循环设施的物项安全分级的方法,并采用“未缓解释放”的事故分析方法,将放化安全一级(250 mSv)和放化安全二级(5 mSv)对应的剂量准则转化为放射性物质包容量限值。     

Low-energy unstable nuclear beam channel “SLOW” at the RIKEN ring cyclotron

A new type of low-energy radioactive nuclear beam channel “SLOW” has been constructed at the RIKEN ring cyclotron facility, intended not only for the study of emission mechanisms of various low-energy radioactive as well as stable isotope ions from a characterized surface of the primary target, but also for the generation of useful radioactive ion beams for surface-physics studies of the secondary target.

In the commissioning experiment of the SLOW beam channel, the reaction products of a heavy-ion induced nuclear reaction have been observed after surface ionization at a hot tungsten target.     

Development of Impregnated Agglomerate Pelletization (IAP) process for fabrication of (Th,U)O2 mixed oxide pellets

Impregnated Agglomerate Pelletization (IAP) technique has been developed at Advanced Fuel Fabrication Facility (AFFF), BARC, Tarapur, for manufacturing (Th,²³³U)O₂ mixed oxide fuel pellets, which are remotely fabricated in hot cell or shielded glove box facilities to reduce man-rem problem associated with ²³²U daughter radionuclides. This technique is being investigated to fabricate the fuel for Indian Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). In the IAP process, ThO₂ is converted to free flowing spheroids by powder extrusion route in an unshielded facility which are then coated with uranyl nitrate solution in a shielded facility. The dried coated agglomerate is finally compacted and then sintered in oxidizing/reducing atmosphere to obtain high density (Th,U)O₂ pellets. In this study, fabrication of (Th,U)O₂ mixed oxide pellets containing 3–5 wt.% UO₂ was carried out by IAP process. The pellets obtained were characterized using optical microscopy, XRD and alpha autoradiography. The results obtained were compared with the results for the pellets fabricated by other routes such as Coated Agglomerate Pelletization (CAP) and Powder Oxide Pelletization (POP) route.     

Research and development of a high-efficiency one-stage melting converter-burial-bunker method for vitrification of high-level radioactive wastes

A new high-efficiency one-stage melting converter-burial-bunker method for vitrification of high-level radioactive wastes has been developed and investigated. The method includes evaporation (concentration), calcination, and vitrification of high-level radioactive wastes in a one-stage process inside a melting converter for non-metallic minerals, followed by burial inside a bunker-storage facility located directly underneath a melting chamber. Specific to the melting process is the direct combustion of a gas-oxygen-air mixture inside a melt. The experimental data for different aspects of the proposed method are presented, including converter/bunker dimensions, burner types and sizes, data for used materials, contents of saturated salty solution and final glass product, and entrainment analysis. The effective flue-gases cleaning systems and the design of the burial-bunker storage facility are also discussed.     

后处理主工艺操纵人员持照岗位设置探讨

乏燃料后处理设施主工艺操纵人员是关系设施核与辐射安全的重要专业技术人才,有必要对安全重要的操纵岗位实行操纵人员持照管理。在乏燃料后处理设施主工艺的首端、铀钚分离、铀尾端和钚尾端四大工序中,对其所执行的安全功能、潜在事故以及历史发生的人因事故开展了分析和比较。研究发现:首端、铀钚分离、铀尾端和钚尾端四个工序均执行了预防临界、放射性物质包容和外照射防护的安全功能;历史发生的人因事故更多地集中在铀钚分离、铀尾端或钚尾端三类工序;首端、铀钚分离、铀尾端和钚尾端四大工序的操纵岗位都有必要设置相应的持照岗位并开展操纵人员资质管理。     

铀浓度在线分析系统的研制

采用标准加入-γ吸收法原理研制了铀浓度在线分析系统。利用不同厚度金属片对γ射线吸收程度的差异,通过在样品池与放射源之间添加金属片的方式实现固体内标的加入。研究工作中对测量模块的结构、内标材料的选择及在线流路进行了设计,编制了在线分析软件。采用有机相铀溶液对在线分析系统进行了测试,6次测定的平均值与真实值的相对偏差在3%以内,分析系统连续运行72 h的稳定性在1%以内。测试结果表明,铀浓度在线分析系统性能稳定,准确度高,适用于核燃料后处理工艺复杂基体中铀浓度的在线测量。     

大面积流气式电离室的研制及性能测试

核设施退役过程中,超铀核素放射性样品的无损测量一般通过γ能谱法实现,但由于超铀核素的γ射线发射几率一般较低,因此这种测量方法的探测限较高,不适用于溶解后低水平放射性样品的测量。本工作建立的大面积流气式电离室,通过探测α粒子电离空气的原理进行多孔样品的间接无损测量,方法探测限低,可以分析放射性活度低至百Bq级别的样品板。     

乏燃料后处理厂有机相燃烧事故研究进展

核能的广泛利用伴随着乏燃料的产生和累积,乏燃料后处理技术将乏燃料再循环利用受到重要推崇,但乏燃料后处理设施的安全是发展后处理技术的重要前提,后处理中的有机相着火事故作为后处理的设计基准事故之一,得到了国内外的重要关注。为分析后处理厂在有机相着火事故中,有机相的燃烧行为、放射性气溶胶的扩散和沉积、高效过滤器的性能等,美国、日本等国分别建立了实验设施并进行了有机相燃烧的实验研究。本文综合评述了国内外关于后处理厂有机相着火事故的试验技术方法和研究结果,提出了当前研究存在的问题以及未来有待进一步研究的方向。     

光纤传输型便携式大面积表面污染监测仪的实验研究

以β放射性表面污染测量为对象,基于薄片式大面积塑料闪烁体探测器,建立了光纤传输型大面积塑料闪烁体表面污染监测仪实验装置,探测灵敏面积达1 200 cm2。初步实验表明,在10根光纤作为光收集的条件下,对90Sr-90Yβ面源的探测效率可达到7%。该探测器具有面积大、结构简单、环境适用性强等优点,未来可用于大面积β核素放射性表面污染的测量。     

美国放射性废物最终处置政策及技术路线

反应堆安全和核废物安全处置被认为是影响今后核能事业发展的两大障碍。自１９８０年以来，美国颁布了３个关于核废物处置的政策法令，对放射性废物的安全处置的要求及责任做出了明确规定。文章介绍了美国放射性废物处置的政策、技术路线及现状。对乏燃料及高放废物的处置，美国采取了比较慎重的态度，进行了各种方案的比较，虽然已有基本轮廓，但仍在探索之中。文章还介绍了高放废物处置中存在的一些有争议的重大问题和倾向性意见。