Measurement of spent nuclear fuel burn-up using a new H(n, [formula omitted]) method

Abstract

Measurement of neutrons from spent nuclear fuel is performed in this study using the H(n, γ) method, which detects 2.223 MeV γ rays from neutron capture reaction of hydrogen using a highly pure germanium (HPGe) detector. The detection of the 2.223 MeV γ ray is affected by intense γ ray emission from fission products (FPs) because the emission rate of γ rays from the FP is seven orders of magnitude higher than the emission rate of neutrons. To shield the intense γ ray from the FP, the HPGe detector is placed off the axis of a collimator, whereas a polyethylene block is placed on the axis. In this geometry, the detector is shielded from the intense γ rays from the FP, but the detector can measure 2.223 MeV γ rays from the H(n, γ) reactions in the polyethylene block. The measured count rate of the 2.223 MeV γ rays is consistent with the expected rate within the statistical error, which is calculated based on the nuclide composition, which is primary 244Cm, estimated via depletion and decay calculations. Accordingly, the H(n, γ) method is considered feasible to quantify the number of neutron leakage from spent nuclear fuel assembly, which is applicable to certify burn-up of the assembly.