High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors

Padhraic L. Mulligan; Daniel C. Sweeney; Kara M. Godsey; N. Dianne Ezell; Christian M. Petrie

doi:10.13182/NPICHMIT23-40937

High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors

Padhraic L. Mulligan, Daniel C. Sweeney, Kara M. Godsey, N. Dianne Ezell, Christian M. Petrie

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs) are widely used in light-water power reactors to monitor fuel assemblies and provide 3D maps of the neutron flux distribution. These in-core neutron flux detectors utilize neutron reactions that emit electrons in the sensor material to produce an output current proportional to the flux intensity of a localized region of the core. Although simpler to operate than other neutron detection instrumentation, there are limited examples of using SPNDs to map local neutron flux in experiments within research reactors with a high-power density and significant spatial variations in neutron flux. The Halden reactor routinely used SPNDs, but it was very similar to large commercial boiling water reactors and operated at a much lower neutron flux than high-performance research reactors. A recent multipurpose experiment conducted in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory incorporated four SPNDs with vanadium emitters at various elevations with respect to the HFIR fuel element; this experiment is the first known use of SPNDs in HFIR. The experiment was inserted into the HFIR removable beryllium facility and monitored through the adjacent material irradiation facility lab space. Results from the first irradiation cycle indicated competing mechanisms between gamma- and neutron-induced signals, as well as variation in signal response during intentional temperature transients. This paper discusses aspects of the experiment design, SPND modeling, measurement results, and analysis.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023
Publisher	American Nuclear Society
Pages	1420-1430
Number of pages	11
ISBN (Electronic)	9780894487910
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.13182/NPICHMIT23-40937
State	Published - 2023
Event	13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023 - Knoxville, United States Duration: Jul 15 2023 → Jul 20 2023

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023

Conference

Conference	13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023
Country/Territory	United States
City	Knoxville
Period	07/15/23 → 07/20/23

Funding

This experiment was sponsored by the Nuclear Science User Facilities Program of the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Nuclear Energy. The report was authored by UT-Battelle under contract no. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with DOE. Data analysis was supported by the Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation program of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy. The authors acknowledge the help of Shay Chapel, David Bryant, oK ry Linton, auM reen Searles, Joel McDuffee, and Adam James in preparing this experiment, as well as Adrian Schrell, Elizabeth Kirby, and Callie oeG tz for reviewing this manuscript.

Keywords

HFIR
in-core instrumentation
neutron flux
self-power neutron detector

Access to Document

10.13182/NPICHMIT23-40937

Cite this

Mulligan, P. L., Sweeney, D. C., Godsey, K. M., Ezell, N. D., & Petrie, C. M. (2023). High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors. In Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023 (pp. 1420-1430). (Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023). American Nuclear Society. https://doi.org/10.13182/NPICHMIT23-40937

Mulligan, Padhraic L. ; Sweeney, Daniel C. ; Godsey, Kara M. et al. / High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors. Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023. American Nuclear Society, 2023. pp. 1420-1430 (Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023).

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title = "High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors",

abstract = "Self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs) are widely used in light-water power reactors to monitor fuel assemblies and provide 3D maps of the neutron flux distribution. These in-core neutron flux detectors utilize neutron reactions that emit electrons in the sensor material to produce an output current proportional to the flux intensity of a localized region of the core. Although simpler to operate than other neutron detection instrumentation, there are limited examples of using SPNDs to map local neutron flux in experiments within research reactors with a high-power density and significant spatial variations in neutron flux. The Halden reactor routinely used SPNDs, but it was very similar to large commercial boiling water reactors and operated at a much lower neutron flux than high-performance research reactors. A recent multipurpose experiment conducted in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory incorporated four SPNDs with vanadium emitters at various elevations with respect to the HFIR fuel element; this experiment is the first known use of SPNDs in HFIR. The experiment was inserted into the HFIR removable beryllium facility and monitored through the adjacent material irradiation facility lab space. Results from the first irradiation cycle indicated competing mechanisms between gamma- and neutron-induced signals, as well as variation in signal response during intentional temperature transients. This paper discusses aspects of the experiment design, SPND modeling, measurement results, and analysis.",

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Mulligan, PL , Sweeney, DC , Godsey, KM , Ezell, ND & Petrie, CM 2023, High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors. in Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023. Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023, American Nuclear Society, pp. 1420-1430, 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023, Knoxville, United States, 07/15/23. https://doi.org/10.13182/NPICHMIT23-40937

High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors. / Mulligan, Padhraic L.; Sweeney, Daniel C.; Godsey, Kara M. et al.
Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023. American Nuclear Society, 2023. p. 1420-1430 (Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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N2 - Self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs) are widely used in light-water power reactors to monitor fuel assemblies and provide 3D maps of the neutron flux distribution. These in-core neutron flux detectors utilize neutron reactions that emit electrons in the sensor material to produce an output current proportional to the flux intensity of a localized region of the core. Although simpler to operate than other neutron detection instrumentation, there are limited examples of using SPNDs to map local neutron flux in experiments within research reactors with a high-power density and significant spatial variations in neutron flux. The Halden reactor routinely used SPNDs, but it was very similar to large commercial boiling water reactors and operated at a much lower neutron flux than high-performance research reactors. A recent multipurpose experiment conducted in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory incorporated four SPNDs with vanadium emitters at various elevations with respect to the HFIR fuel element; this experiment is the first known use of SPNDs in HFIR. The experiment was inserted into the HFIR removable beryllium facility and monitored through the adjacent material irradiation facility lab space. Results from the first irradiation cycle indicated competing mechanisms between gamma- and neutron-induced signals, as well as variation in signal response during intentional temperature transients. This paper discusses aspects of the experiment design, SPND modeling, measurement results, and analysis.

AB - Self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs) are widely used in light-water power reactors to monitor fuel assemblies and provide 3D maps of the neutron flux distribution. These in-core neutron flux detectors utilize neutron reactions that emit electrons in the sensor material to produce an output current proportional to the flux intensity of a localized region of the core. Although simpler to operate than other neutron detection instrumentation, there are limited examples of using SPNDs to map local neutron flux in experiments within research reactors with a high-power density and significant spatial variations in neutron flux. The Halden reactor routinely used SPNDs, but it was very similar to large commercial boiling water reactors and operated at a much lower neutron flux than high-performance research reactors. A recent multipurpose experiment conducted in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory incorporated four SPNDs with vanadium emitters at various elevations with respect to the HFIR fuel element; this experiment is the first known use of SPNDs in HFIR. The experiment was inserted into the HFIR removable beryllium facility and monitored through the adjacent material irradiation facility lab space. Results from the first irradiation cycle indicated competing mechanisms between gamma- and neutron-induced signals, as well as variation in signal response during intentional temperature transients. This paper discusses aspects of the experiment design, SPND modeling, measurement results, and analysis.

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Mulligan PL , Sweeney DC , Godsey KM , Ezell ND , Petrie CM. High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors. In Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023. American Nuclear Society. 2023. p. 1420-1430. (Proceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023). doi: 10.13182/NPICHMIT23-40937

High Flux Isotope Reactor Irradiation of Self-Powered Neutron Detectors

Abstract

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Keywords

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