Advanced Postirradiation Characterization of Nuclear Fuels Using Pulsed Neutrons

Sven C. Vogel; Mark A.M. Bourke; Aaron E. Craft; Jason M. Harp; Charles T. Kelsey; Jay Lin; Alex M. Long; Adrian S. Losko; Peter Hosemann; Kenneth J. McClellan; Markus Roth; Anton S. Tremsin

doi:10.1007/s11837-019-03849-2

Advanced Postirradiation Characterization of Nuclear Fuels Using Pulsed Neutrons

Sven C. Vogel, Mark A.M. Bourke, Aaron E. Craft, Jason M. Harp, Charles T. Kelsey, Jay Lin, Alex M. Long, Adrian S. Losko, Peter Hosemann, Kenneth J. McClellan, Markus Roth, Anton S. Tremsin

Nuclear Fuel Element Performance

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Methods for postirradiation characterization of bulk (cm³) irradiated materials or even spent nuclear fuels are sparse due to their extremely radioactive nature. While several methods exist to characterize smaller volumes (< 1 mm³) of such samples, selecting these volumes from larger samples is challenging. X-ray-based methods are prohibitive due to the strong γ-radiation from the sample flooding the detectors. Neutron-based methods available in the proximity of irradiation reactors allow for thermal neutron radiography or computed tomography using a small reactor source, but one cannot assess isotope distributions or microstructural features such as phases, texture, or strain from diffraction measurements due to flux limitations. We present herein a pathway to provide pulsed neutron characterization of bulk irradiated samples using time-of-flight neutron diffraction for microstructural characterization and energy-resolved neutron imaging for assessment of isotopic densities and distributions. Ultimately, laser-driven pulsed neutron sources may allow deployment of these techniques pool-side at irradiation reactors.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	187-196
Number of pages	10
Journal	JOM
Volume	72
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-019-03849-2
State	Published - Jan 1 2020

Funding

This work was supported by the DOE/NE Fuel Cycle R&D research program. This work has benefitted from the use of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the S Department of Energy under Contract No. 89233218NCA000001. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This work was supported by the DOE/NE Fuel Cycle R&D research program. This work has benefitted from the use of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the S Department of Energy under Contract No. 89233218NCA000001.

Funders	Funder number
National Nuclear Security Administration of the S Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration	89233218NCA000001
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Access to Document

10.1007/s11837-019-03849-2

Cite this

@article{f8b47188172e4914a7d5927ad91323f2,

title = "Advanced Postirradiation Characterization of Nuclear Fuels Using Pulsed Neutrons",

abstract = "Methods for postirradiation characterization of bulk (cm3) irradiated materials or even spent nuclear fuels are sparse due to their extremely radioactive nature. While several methods exist to characterize smaller volumes (< 1 mm3) of such samples, selecting these volumes from larger samples is challenging. X-ray-based methods are prohibitive due to the strong γ-radiation from the sample flooding the detectors. Neutron-based methods available in the proximity of irradiation reactors allow for thermal neutron radiography or computed tomography using a small reactor source, but one cannot assess isotope distributions or microstructural features such as phases, texture, or strain from diffraction measurements due to flux limitations. We present herein a pathway to provide pulsed neutron characterization of bulk irradiated samples using time-of-flight neutron diffraction for microstructural characterization and energy-resolved neutron imaging for assessment of isotopic densities and distributions. Ultimately, laser-driven pulsed neutron sources may allow deployment of these techniques pool-side at irradiation reactors.",

author = "Vogel, {Sven C.} and Bourke, {Mark A.M.} and Craft, {Aaron E.} and Harp, {Jason M.} and Kelsey, {Charles T.} and Jay Lin and Long, {Alex M.} and Losko, {Adrian S.} and Peter Hosemann and McClellan, {Kenneth J.} and Markus Roth and Tremsin, {Anton S.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, This is a U.S. government work and its text is not subject to copyright protection in the United States; however, its text may be subject to foreign copyright protection.",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1007/s11837-019-03849-2",

language = "English",

volume = "72",

pages = "187--196",

journal = "JOM",

issn = "1047-4838",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Advanced Postirradiation Characterization of Nuclear Fuels Using Pulsed Neutrons

AU - Vogel, Sven C.

AU - Bourke, Mark A.M.

AU - Craft, Aaron E.

AU - Harp, Jason M.

AU - Kelsey, Charles T.

AU - Lin, Jay

AU - Long, Alex M.

AU - Losko, Adrian S.

AU - Hosemann, Peter

AU - McClellan, Kenneth J.

AU - Roth, Markus

AU - Tremsin, Anton S.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2019, This is a U.S. government work and its text is not subject to copyright protection in the United States; however, its text may be subject to foreign copyright protection.

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - Methods for postirradiation characterization of bulk (cm3) irradiated materials or even spent nuclear fuels are sparse due to their extremely radioactive nature. While several methods exist to characterize smaller volumes (< 1 mm3) of such samples, selecting these volumes from larger samples is challenging. X-ray-based methods are prohibitive due to the strong γ-radiation from the sample flooding the detectors. Neutron-based methods available in the proximity of irradiation reactors allow for thermal neutron radiography or computed tomography using a small reactor source, but one cannot assess isotope distributions or microstructural features such as phases, texture, or strain from diffraction measurements due to flux limitations. We present herein a pathway to provide pulsed neutron characterization of bulk irradiated samples using time-of-flight neutron diffraction for microstructural characterization and energy-resolved neutron imaging for assessment of isotopic densities and distributions. Ultimately, laser-driven pulsed neutron sources may allow deployment of these techniques pool-side at irradiation reactors.

AB - Methods for postirradiation characterization of bulk (cm3) irradiated materials or even spent nuclear fuels are sparse due to their extremely radioactive nature. While several methods exist to characterize smaller volumes (< 1 mm3) of such samples, selecting these volumes from larger samples is challenging. X-ray-based methods are prohibitive due to the strong γ-radiation from the sample flooding the detectors. Neutron-based methods available in the proximity of irradiation reactors allow for thermal neutron radiography or computed tomography using a small reactor source, but one cannot assess isotope distributions or microstructural features such as phases, texture, or strain from diffraction measurements due to flux limitations. We present herein a pathway to provide pulsed neutron characterization of bulk irradiated samples using time-of-flight neutron diffraction for microstructural characterization and energy-resolved neutron imaging for assessment of isotopic densities and distributions. Ultimately, laser-driven pulsed neutron sources may allow deployment of these techniques pool-side at irradiation reactors.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075181869&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11837-019-03849-2

DO - 10.1007/s11837-019-03849-2

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85075181869

SN - 1047-4838

VL - 72

SP - 187

EP - 196

JO - JOM

JF - JOM

IS - 1

ER -

Advanced Postirradiation Characterization of Nuclear Fuels Using Pulsed Neutrons

Abstract

Funding

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this