Prediction of the single-phase turbulent mixing rate between two parallel subchannels using a subchannel geometry factor

This paper presents a simple method for predicting the single-phase turbulent mixing rate between adjacent subchannels in nuclear fuel bundles. In this method, the mixing rate is computed as the sum of the two components of turbulent diffusion and convective transfer. Of these, the turbulent diffusion component is calculated using a newly defined subchannel geometry factor F^* and the mean turbulent diffusivity for each subchannel which is computed from Elder's equation. The convective transfer component is evaluated from a mixing Stanton number correlation obtained empirically in this study. In order to confirm the validity of the proposed method, experimental data on turbulent mixing rate were obtained using a tracer technique under adiabatic conditions with three test channels, each consisting of two subchannels. The range of Reynolds number covered was 5000–66 000. From comparisons of the predicted turbulent mixing rates with the experimental data of other investigators as well as the authors, it has been confirmed that the proposed method can predict the data in a range of gap clearance to rod diameter ratio of 0.02–0.4 within about ±25% for square array bundles and about ±35% for triangular array bundles.     

Experimental study on the Reynolds number dependence of turbulent mixing in a rod bundle

An experimental study for Reynolds number dependence of the turbulent mixing between fuel-bundle subchannels, was performed. The measurements were done on a triangular array bundle with a 1.20 pitch to diameter relation and 10 mm rod diameter, in a low-pressure water loop, at Reynolds numbers between 1.4 × 10³ and 1.3 × 10⁵.The high accuracy of the results was obtained by improving a thermal tracing technique recently developed. The Reynolds exponent on the mixing rate correlation was obtained with two-digit accuracy for Reynolds numbers greater than 3 × 10³. It was also found a marked increase in the mixing rate for lower Reynolds numbers.The weak theoretical base of the accepted Reynolds dependence was pointed out in light of the later findings, as well as its ambiguous supporting experimental data.The present results also provide indirect information about dominant large scale flow pulsations at different flow regimes.     

Towards more precise Be and Cl data from measurements at the 10 level: Influence of sample preparation

The spreading application of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to the geosciences will require measurement of increasing numbers of samples with low ¹⁰Be/⁹Be and ³⁶Cl/Cl isotopic ratios. To distinguish radionuclide concentrations in samples from corresponding processing blanks, samples must be prepared using stable isotope carriers with low intrinsic radionuclide concentrations. Measurements at different AMS facilities have shown that commercially available ⁹Be carriers rarely meet these requirements and use of ⁹Be carriers prepared from Be-containing minerals such as Be₂SiO₄ is advisable. For precise determinations at the low 10⁻¹⁴ level, samples need to produce the highest ⁹Be currents possible. Measurements performed at the two AMS facilities in France show that mixing BeO with Nb powder generally yields higher ⁹Be currents than mixing with Ag powder. Contamination of BeO by other elements such as Ti or Al will reduce the current by a simple dilution effect, thus limiting the statistical precision with which ¹⁰Be can be determined. In the case of ³⁶Cl analyses, repeated water-leaching of calcite samples sufficiently removes all atmospheric ³⁶Cl contamination, allowing determination of terrestrial cosmogenic in situ produced ³⁶Cl concentrations for surface exposure dating.     

A power perturbation technique for the measurement of fuel-to-coolant heat transfer coefficients in fast reactors

This technique provides a method of obtaining average fuel to coolant heat transfer coefficients for individual fuel subassemblies in fast reactors. A series of experiments on the UK prototype fast reactor (PFR) over the period 1977–1979 have demonstrated that the technique is simple, requires no special instrumentation other than thermocouples to monitor coolant outlet temperatures, and the measurement can be made during normal reactor operation. Thus it is possible to determine how heat transfer coefficients change with operating conditions and with the degree of burn-up in the fuel.The analysis of a single experiment is presented to illustrate the technique. This was conducted at a single reduced power level of 200 thermal megawatts for two different primary coolant flow rates, both steady fractions of the maximum (0.88 and 0.47). Cyclic and single-step perturbations of about 10% amplitude were impressed on the steady power and the delayed coolant temperature response at subassembly outlets was monitored. Burn-ups in the subassemblies ranged between 1.0% and 4.7%. From the measured delays at the two flows it was possible to determine the fuel time-constant and hence the fuel-to-coolant heat transfer coefficient. It was also shown that a simple, lumped-element, heat transfer model can be used to obtain sufficiently accurate estimates from measurements at just one coolant flow.Fuel surface-to-coolant thermal conductances (i.e. gap conductances) were subsequently derived from the heat transfer coefficients. These ranged between 2.4 kW m⁻² K⁻¹ and 3.3 kW m⁻² K⁻¹ with the smaller conductances being obtained for those fuel elements with the larger degree of burn-up. These values are lower than expected but consistent with a higher than expected value for the negative power coefficient of reactivity feedback which has been observed at reduced power.     

Depth profiling of hydrogen by detection of recoiled protons

The elastic recoil detection technique (ERD) using a 2.5 MeV ⁴He beam for depth profiling of hydrogen in the near-surface regions of solids is described. The optimization of the experimental conditions such as scattering geometry and analyzing beam energy is discussed. The factors limiting the depth resolution of the method have been evaluated showing that a depth resolution of the order of 20 nm can be obtained. Also presented are typical applications for hydrogen profiling in a silicon matrix.     

Collision strengths and line strengths for all transitions among the levels of the 1s22s22p, 1s22s2p2, and 1s22p3 configurations of boron-like ions

Collision strengths and electric-dipole line strengths have been calculated for all fine-structure transitions among the levels of the 1s²2s²2p, 1s²2s2p², and 1s²2p³ configurations in 17 boron-like ions with nuclear charge number Z in the range 10 ⩽ Z ⩽ 74. From these results the collision strengths and line strengths for transitions between energy terms and their analogs in jj coupling can also be obtained. The collision strength data cover impact-electron energies ⩽ 3.25Z²Ry or 44.2Z²eV. The effects of configuration mixing, parentage mixing, and intermediate coupling have been included in the calculations. The method used in calculating the collision strengths is a Coulomb-Born-Exchange method well suited for treating many members of an isoelectronic sequence simultaneously. The complete results have been given in terms of fits to simple functions of the impact-electron energy that are readily integrated over a Maxwellian distribution to obtain collision rates. Some discussion is given of important differences between the present method and the more usual Coulomb-Born-Exchange method, where it is assumed that the free electron sees the screened nuclear charge (Z - N).     

Collision strengths and line strengths for all transitions among the levels of the 1s2l2l′ configurations of Li-like ions

Collision strengths and electric-dipole line strengths have been calculated for all fine-structure transitions among the levels of the 1s2l2l′ configurations in 19 Li-like ions with nuclear charge number Z in the range 6 ⩽ Z ⩽ 74. From these results the collision strengths and line strengths for transitions between energy terms and their analogs in jj coupling can also be obtained. The collision strength data cover impact-electron energies ⩽3.25Z²Ry or 44.2Z²eV. The effects of configuration mixing, parentage mixing, and intermediate coupling have been included in the calculations. The method used in calculating the collision strengths is a Coulomb-Born-Exchange method well suited for treating many members of an isoelectronic sequence simultaneously. The complete results have been given in terms of fits to simple functions of the impact-electron energy that are readily integrated over a Maxwellian distribution to obtain collision rates.     

Measurement of the leaching rate of radionuclide Cs from the solidified radioactive sources in Portland cement mixed with microsilica and barite matrixes

Portland cement was mixed with radionuclide ¹³⁴Cs to produce low-level radioactive sources. These sources were surrounded with cement mixed with different materials like microsilica and barite. The leaching rate of ¹³⁴Cs from the solidified radioactive source in Portland cement alone was found to be 4.481 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² per day. Mixing this Portland cement with microsilica and with barite reduced significantly the leaching rate to 1.091 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² per day and 3.153 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² per day for 1 wt.% mixing, and to 1.401 × 10⁻⁵ g/cm² per day and 1.703 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² per day for 3 wt.% mixing, respectively. It was also found that the application of a latex paint reduced these leaching rates by about 6.5%, 20.3% and 13.3% for Portland cement, cement mixed with microsilica and with barite, respectively. The leaching data were also analyzed using the polynomial method. The obtained results showed that cement mixed with microsilica and with barite can be effectively used for radioactive sources solidification.     

Determination of the leaching rate of Cs from the immobilized low-level radioactive sources in the cement and cement mixed with dolomite grains and with natural pozzolan powder

The leaching rate of ¹³⁴Cs from the immobilized low-level radioactive source in the Portland cement was found to be 4.481 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² per day. Mixing this cement with dolomite grains and natural pozzolan powder increased and reduced significantly the leaching rate to 7.373 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² and 3.495 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² per day for 1 wt% mixing, and to 12.340 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm² and 3.215 × 10⁻⁵ g/cm² per day for 3 wt% mixing, respectively. This increase and reduction of the leaching rate is due to dedolomitization reactions between dolomite grains and cement alkalis, and pozzolanic reaction between pozzolan powder and calcium hydroxide, respectively. It was also found that the application of a latex paint reduced these leaching rates by about 8.8 and 8.2% for cement mixed with dolomite and with pozzolan, respectively. The obtained results help to improve the concrete properties used for the storage and disposal of the low-level radioactive wastes.     

Measurements of Multiple Control Rods Effect in Graphite Moderated Reactors

Measurements on the effects of multiple control rods arranged in ring geometry were undertaken with application of the pulsed neutron technique in SHE, a heavily reflected graphite-moderated 20% enriched uranium critical assembly. The aggregate number of experimental cases exceeded 100, which systematically covered the four fundamental factors to determine the control rod effects:

1. The atomic ratio of ²³⁵U to C in the core region (C/²³⁵U = 2,226 and 5,378)

2. The neutron absorbing substances in the control rods and their densities (B₄C powder and Cd plate. Density of B₄C: 0.1 and 1.0 g/cm³)

3. Geometrical factors of the control rods (Cylindrical shape, 20 or 44 mm in diameter)

4. Number of control rods (One to six control rods inserted in circular geometry)

The experimental results are compared with calculations based essentially on a system of simple two group Nordheim-Scalettar method used as tool to solve the three-dimensional diffusion equation. Agreement within about 10% was obtained between measurement and calculation utilizing extrapolation distances for the fast neutron group, determined semi-experimentally.     

Mechanisms in the ion beam mixing of Al in Si

Ion beam mixing of Al in Si has been studied by implanting 100 keV ⁴⁰Ar⁺ ions into 300 Å Al overlayers on Si substrates. The mixing of the collisionally similar Al and Si atoms was studied with the nuclear resonance broadening technique. It is characterized to be proportional to the square root of ion fluence. The mixing is compared with that of Al in Si due to irradiation with 40 keV ²²Ne⁺ ions studied recently by us. Mechanisms which enhance the observed atomic mixings with about 5 times that expected for ballistic mixing have been studied by Monte Carlo simulation of the collisional cascades. The results indicate the need to revise the present model of the ballistic mixing by focusing more attention to the effect of low-energy impurity—matrix atom collisions.     

Simplified Method for Calculation of Neutron Capture Transformation Effects of Fission Products on Decay Power

A simplified method is proposed for the calculation of the effects of neutron capture transformations of fission products (FPs) on the decay power of FPs. The decay power of FPs after shutdown changes by the neutron capture transformations of FP nuclides during reactor operation. It is proposed to calculate the neutron capture transformation effects considering the production of the following 7 nuclides ¹⁰³Ru, ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁶Cs, ^148mPm, ¹⁴⁸Pm, ¹⁵⁴Eu and ¹⁵⁶Eu by the neutron capture reaction of the direct mother nuclide alone giving a cumulative fission yield for the mother nuclide. The present method was assessed by com-paring the calculation results with the rigorous calculation results for the thermal-neutron fission of ²³⁵U irradiated between 1 and 5 yr in a light water reactor with thermal-nentron flux between 3 x 10¹³ and 6 x 10¹³ n/cm²·s and for the fast-neutron fission of ²³⁹Pu irradiated between 1 and 5 yr in a fast breeder reactor with total neutron flux between 3 x 10¹⁵ and 6 x 10¹⁵ n/cm²·s. It has been clarified that the present method can calculate the neutron capture transformation effects within the accuracy of ±1% of the decay power for the irradiation of 1yr and cooling time less than 10⁹s irrespective of fission type and neutron flux. The accuracy varies little with neutron flux but considerably with irradiation time. For a irradiation of 5 yr the present method can calculate the capture effect within the accuracy of +1% and -5% of the decay power. The accuracy can be improved to ±1% of the decay power with the simple correction factors.     

Proton energy determination using activated yttrium foils and ionization chambers for activity assay

Excitation functions of the ⁸⁹Y(p, xn) nuclear reactions were measured up to 18 MeV by the conventional activation method using the stacked-foil technique, and the irradiation of single foils. Activity assays of the irradiated foils were performed via ionization chamber and gamma spectroscopy methods. Activity ratios of the activation products were measured in two different facilities and evaluated for use as a practical and simple method for proton energy determinations. Cross section values measured in this work were compared with published data and with theoretical values as determined by the nuclear reaction model code EMPIRE II. In general, there was a good agreement between the experimental and theoretical values of the cross section data. Activity ratios of the isomeric and ground state of ⁸⁹Zr measured via ionization chamber were found to be useful for proton energy determinations in the energy range from 7 to 15 MeV. Proton energies above 13 MeV were accurately determined using the ^89gZr/⁸⁸Zr and ^89gZr/⁸⁸Y activity ratios measured via gamma spectroscopy.     

Production of highly-charged recoil-ion beams at very low energy

An apparatus for production of an intense, charge-state separated, recoil-ion beam of very low energy and good collimation has been constructed. In a test experiment, in which 30 MeV C1⁵⁺ projectiles were used to produce recoil ions, the feasibility of the method was demonstrated. The mass to charge ratio of the beam is selected by means of a Wien-filter, and the beam energy can be varied between 2qeV and 1q keV with a constant charge-state resolution. Presently, the angular definition of the beam is 2.5°, but it can be impoved by at least a factor of 2. Very low energy Ar-ion beams, of intensities usable for secondary slow collision experiments, can be created for charge states ranging from one to nine. For example, beams of Ar⁴⁺ and Ar⁶⁺ of intensities 2.5 × 10⁴ and 5 × 10³ s⁻¹, respectively, can be furnished at energies of 10 q eV, while the corresponding numbers for 2 q eV beams ar approximately five times lower.     

Experimental study of the characteristics of the flow in the first rows of tube banks

This paper presents the experimental study of the flow instabilities in the first rows of tube banks. The study is performed using hot wire anemometry technique in an aerodynamic channel as well as flow visualizations in a water channel. In the wind channel three tube banks with square arrangement and pitch to diameter ratios P/D = 1.26, 1.4 and 1.6 were studied. The Reynolds number range for the velocities measurements, computed with the tube diameter and the flow velocity in the narrow gap between tubes was 7 × 10⁴–8 × 10⁴. Continuous and discrete wavelets were applied to decompose the velocity results, thus allowing the analysis of phenomena in time–frequency domain. Visualizations in a water channel complemented the analysis of the hot wire results. For this purpose, dye was injected in the flow in the water channel with a tube bank with P/D = 1.26. The range of the Reynolds number of the experiments was 3 × 10⁴–4 × 10⁴. The main results show the presence of instabilities, generated after the second row of the tube bank, which propagates to the interior of the bank. In the resulting flow, the three orthogonal components are equally significant. The three-dimensional behavior of the flow is responsible for a mass redistribution inside the bank that leads to velocity values not expected for the studied geometry, according to the known literature. The resulting flow process can be interpreted as a secondary flow which is characteristic of tube banks.     

Correction Techniques of Radiation Induced Errors for Raman Distributed Temperature Sensor and Experiment at the Experimental Fast Reactor: JOYO

Optical fibers have advantages like flexible configuration, intrinsic immunity for electromagnetic fields etc., and they have been used as optical fiber sensors. By some of these techniques, continuous or discrete distribution of physical parameters can be measured. Here, in order to apply Raman distributed temperature sensor (RDTS) to the monitoring of nuclear facilities: some correction techniques for radiation induced errors were investigated. It has been shown that, when uniform loss distribution can be assumed, simple correction technique with two thermocouples can be applied. Moreover, if loop type arrangement is applied, even when the loss distribution is not uniform, radiation induced errors can be canceled.

For the demonstration of the feasibility of this technique, measurements using a commercial RDTS sys-tem were carried out along the primary piping system of the experimental fast reactor: JOYO. During the continuous measurements with the total dose of more than 10⁷R, the radiation induced errors showed a saturating tendency. The correction technique with two thermocouples was applied and its feasibility has been demonstrated. Although the time response of the system should be improved, the RDTS can be expected as a noble temperature monitor in nuclear facilities.     

Non-destructive examination of the bonding interface in DEMO divertor fingers

Plasma facing components (PFCs) with tungsten (W) armor materials for DEMO divertor require a high heat flux removal capability (at least 10 MW/m² in steady-state conditions). The reference divertor PFC concept is a finger with a tungsten tile as a protection and sacrificial layer brazed to a thimble made of tungsten alloy W – 1% La₂O₃ (WL10). Defects may be located at the W thimble to W tile interface. As the number of fingers is considerable (>250,000), it is then a major issue to develop a reliable control procedure in order to control with a non-destructive examination the fabrication processes. The feasibility for detecting defect with infrared thermography SATIR test bed is presented. SATIR is based on the heat transient method and is used as an inspection tool in order to assess component heat transfer capability. SATIR tests were performed on fingers integrating or not the complex He cooling system (steel cartridge with jet holes). Millimeter size artificial defects were manufactured and their detectability was evaluated. Results of this study demonstrate that the SATIR method can be considered as a relevant non-destructive technique examination for the defect detection of DEMO divertor fingers.     

Carburization during Cr self implantation in a 13CO atmosphere

Self implantation of Cr into Cr has been performed in a ¹³C enriched CO atmosphere and a significant concentration of ¹³C was found in the implanted surface. A Monte Carlo calculation, with the Code EVOLVE, indicates that only a portion of this concentration can be accounted for by collision cascade mixing. Experimental and theoretical results are discussed.     

Isotope correlation technique for Pu mass analysis of PWR UO2 spent fuel rods

A simple and fast method of nuclear material accountancy of pressurized water reactor (PWR) UO₂ spent fuel rods for safeguards application was developed utilizing the isotope correlation between the amounts of ¹³⁷Cs and total Pu. To this end, the following steps were taken: (1) as much destructive analysis (DA) data as possible for segments taken from a PWR UO₂ spent fuel rod were aggregated from publicly available data sources; (2) the DA data were corrected so as to have the same cooling time (i.e., CT = 0 y) and analyzed for outliers; (3) an equation converting the ¹³⁷Cs amount to the Pu amount was obtained by regression analysis with logarithmic curve fitting; and (4) the error in determining the Pu amount was evaluated for the imposition of a limit on the range of burnup (BU) or initial enrichment (IE). It was found that the averaged % error in calibration was determined to be 3.88% ± 2.68% (= mean ± 1 standard deviation) for the BU range over 30 GWd/tU and falling with increasing BU range. On the other hand, there was no benefit in applying the limit of the IE range. Lastly, the Pu-mass difference between various methods was compared and it was found that the difference can be incurred up to 11.4%, according to the choice of method. In conclusion, the proposed isotope correlation technique could be used for input material accountancy with reasonable uncertainty.     

Uranium assay in mineral samples by means of neutron detection of uranium-238 spontaneous fission

An “in situ” method to determine uranium content in mineral samples by means of detecting neutrons from ²³⁸U spontaneous fission is presented. The method is simple, exact, reliable and passive (it does not need any external excitation source). The technique was experimentally validated, and those experiments were also modeled by a Monte Carlo neutron transport code (MCNP), to check the concordance between experimental results and simulations. Relying on this concordance, calculation ability to describe hypothetical situations was established. The influence of many factors (multiplicative medium, electronic noise, etc.) was estimated. The results obtained allow us to affirm that, with this method it is possible to determine concentrations of 0.05 wt% of uranium (detection limit).The technique has the advantage of sampling very considerable mineral volumes (≈0.2 m³).