Application of Anticoincidence Technology to Burn-Up Measurement Systems in High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors

Cui Mao,Li-Guo Zhang,Yi-Bao Liu

doi:10.3390/su10082883

Abstract

Nuclear energy is the focus of sustainable energy development worldwide. A high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) plays a vital role in the development of nuclear energy. In a pebble-bed HTGR, the burn-up measurement system is important for ensuring reactor safety and economy. This study optimized a burn-up measurement system by adding anticoincidence technology with bismuth germanium oxide (BGO) crystals and a plastic scintillator used as anticoincidence detectors. Through Monte Carlo simulation, the detection effects of two different anticoincidence detectors on fuel elements were compared and analyzed. The study focused on varying the wall thickness and top thickness of these detectors to optimize the peak-to-Compton ratio (P/C). The results showed that the size of the BGO detector with the best anticoincidence effect (P/C of 727) consists in a diameter of 140 mm and a length of 210 mm. The best plastic scintillator size (P/C of 180) consists in a diameter of 260 mm and a length of 260 mm. Adding the anticoincidence technology lowered the Compton plateau of the measured gamma spectrum and significantly improved the detection performance of the burn-up measurement system. The new burn-up measurement system has improved detection precision not only for Cs-137 but also for low-activity nuclides.

Highlights

With the development of society and economy, the shortage of energy is becoming more and more serious
SPEinEcReRtEhVeImEWaterials, bismuth germanium oxide (BGO) crystal and plastic scintillator, have been determ5inoefd1,2 this study mainly analyzed the effect of specific geometric parameters on the anticoincidence between thcreymstaailnwdaeste0ct.8ormanmd.FtiAhguesrtiewm3o.pSlainfminepdulilfamierdoddmeetoeldcoteofl rotshf.aeTnwatincootimicnocaiidnnecgnidceeonmmceeatrsmiucreepamasureanrmetmseytesentretsm,sw.ysatlelmthiicsknsheosswanndin toFpigtuhrieck3n. ess, as shown in Figure 4, were varied
BGO crystal and plastic scintillator, have been determined, this study mainly analyzed the effect of specific geometric parameters on the anticoincidence between the main detector and the two annular detectors

Summary

Introduction

With the development of society and economy, the shortage of energy is becoming more and more serious. The sustainable development of energy has become the focus of much of the world. Clean, and economic energy, nuclear energy plays an important role in the field of sustainable energy [1], and the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is one of the preferred reactors for the fourth generation nuclear power systems in the current international nuclear energy field [2]. China has been working on HTGRs since the 1970s [3]. The Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology of Tsinghua University built a 10 MW pebble-bed high-temperature gas-cooled experimental reactor (HTR-10). This study is mainly based on the HTR-10, which is still operated by this university

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Discussion

Conclusion