A laboratory device for developing analysis tools and methods for gamma emission tomography of nuclear fuel

• Tomography is a measurement technique that images the inner parts of objects using only external measurement. It is widely used within the field of medicine, and may become important also for nuclear fuel verification where inspectors can obtain information from fuel assemblies’ inner sections without dismantling them.At Uppsala University, Sweden, a laboratory device has been built for investigating the tomographic measurement techniques on nuclear fuel. The device is composed of machinery to position model fuelrods, activated with Cs-137, in a fuel assembly pattern according to the user's choice. The gamma radiation from the model fuel assembly is collimated to a set of detectors that record the radiation intensity in various positions around the fuel model. Reconstruction of the gamma activity distribution within the fuel model is performed off-line.The objective for constructing the laboratory device was to support the development of tomographic techniques for nuclear fuel diagnostics as well as for nuclear safeguards purposes. The device allows for evaluating the performance of different data-acquisition setups, measurement schemes and reconstruction algorithms, since the activity content of each fuel rod is well known.For safeguards purposes, the device is unique in its capability to model various fuel geometries and configurations of partial defects. The latter includes removed, empty and substituted fuel rods. It is well suited for developing tomographic techniques that are optimized for partial defect detection. It also allows for development of analysis tools necessary to quantify detection limits.Here, we describe the capabilities of the laboratory device and elaborate on how the device may be used to support the nuclear safeguards community with the development of unattended gamma emission tomography.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Subatomär fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Subatomic Physics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

safeguards

gamma emission tomography

nuclear fuel

partial defect

tomographic algorithms

Applied Nuclear Physics

Tillämpad kärnfysik

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