Analysis of radiation emission from MYRRHA spent fuel and implications for non-destructive safeguards verification

Markus Preston; Alessandro Borella; Erik Branger; Sophie Grape; Riccardo Rossa

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108525

Analysis of radiation emission from MYRRHA spent fuel and implications for non-destructive safeguards verification

Markus Preston, Alessandro Borella, Erik Branger, Sophie Grape, Riccardo Rossa

Research output › peer-review

Abstract

The radionuclide composition of, and emitted radiation in, spent nuclear fuel from the future MYRRHA facility have been studied using depletion simulations to understand potential consequences for safeguards verification using non-destructive assay. The simulations show that both the gamma-ray and neutron emission rates in spent MYRRHA assemblies are lower than in spent PWR UO2 and MOX assemblies. In addition, gamma-ray emission rates from 134Cs and 154Eu are considerably lower, and the total neutron emission rate in MYRRHA fuel is much less sensitive to fuel burnup and cooling time. The main reason is that the fast neutron spectrum in MYRRHA affects the radionuclide production in the fuel. One result is that 244Cm, the main contributor to the neutron emission in spent light water reactor fuel, has a limited production in MYRRHA. Consequently, neutron-detection techniques could be used to more directly assay the plutonium content of spent MYRRHA fuel.

Original language	English
Article number	108525
Pages (from-to)	1-15
Number of pages	15
Journal	Annals of nuclear energy
Volume	163
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108525
State	Published - 27 Jun 2021

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title = "Analysis of radiation emission from MYRRHA spent fuel and implications for non-destructive safeguards verification",

abstract = "The radionuclide composition of, and emitted radiation in, spent nuclear fuel from the future MYRRHA facility have been studied using depletion simulations to understand potential consequences for safeguards verification using non-destructive assay. The simulations show that both the gamma-ray and neutron emission rates in spent MYRRHA assemblies are lower than in spent PWR UO2 and MOX assemblies. In addition, gamma-ray emission rates from 134Cs and 154Eu are considerably lower, and the total neutron emission rate in MYRRHA fuel is much less sensitive to fuel burnup and cooling time. The main reason is that the fast neutron spectrum in MYRRHA affects the radionuclide production in the fuel. One result is that 244Cm, the main contributor to the neutron emission in spent light water reactor fuel, has a limited production in MYRRHA. Consequently, neutron-detection techniques could be used to more directly assay the plutonium content of spent MYRRHA fuel.",

keywords = "MYRRHA, Fuel depletion, Simulation, Nuclear safeguards, Fast reactor, Non-destructive assay (NDA)",

author = "Markus Preston and Alessandro Borella and Erik Branger and Sophie Grape and Riccardo Rossa",

note = "Score=10",

year = "2021",

month = jun,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108525",

language = "English",

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journal = "Annals of nuclear energy",

issn = "0306-4549",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Analysis of radiation emission from MYRRHA spent fuel and implications for non-destructive safeguards verification

AU - Preston, Markus

AU - Borella, Alessandro

AU - Branger, Erik

AU - Grape, Sophie

AU - Rossa, Riccardo

N1 - Score=10

PY - 2021/6/27

Y1 - 2021/6/27

N2 - The radionuclide composition of, and emitted radiation in, spent nuclear fuel from the future MYRRHA facility have been studied using depletion simulations to understand potential consequences for safeguards verification using non-destructive assay. The simulations show that both the gamma-ray and neutron emission rates in spent MYRRHA assemblies are lower than in spent PWR UO2 and MOX assemblies. In addition, gamma-ray emission rates from 134Cs and 154Eu are considerably lower, and the total neutron emission rate in MYRRHA fuel is much less sensitive to fuel burnup and cooling time. The main reason is that the fast neutron spectrum in MYRRHA affects the radionuclide production in the fuel. One result is that 244Cm, the main contributor to the neutron emission in spent light water reactor fuel, has a limited production in MYRRHA. Consequently, neutron-detection techniques could be used to more directly assay the plutonium content of spent MYRRHA fuel.

AB - The radionuclide composition of, and emitted radiation in, spent nuclear fuel from the future MYRRHA facility have been studied using depletion simulations to understand potential consequences for safeguards verification using non-destructive assay. The simulations show that both the gamma-ray and neutron emission rates in spent MYRRHA assemblies are lower than in spent PWR UO2 and MOX assemblies. In addition, gamma-ray emission rates from 134Cs and 154Eu are considerably lower, and the total neutron emission rate in MYRRHA fuel is much less sensitive to fuel burnup and cooling time. The main reason is that the fast neutron spectrum in MYRRHA affects the radionuclide production in the fuel. One result is that 244Cm, the main contributor to the neutron emission in spent light water reactor fuel, has a limited production in MYRRHA. Consequently, neutron-detection techniques could be used to more directly assay the plutonium content of spent MYRRHA fuel.

KW - MYRRHA

KW - Fuel depletion

KW - Simulation

KW - Nuclear safeguards

KW - Fast reactor

KW - Non-destructive assay (NDA)

UR - https://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/44820517

U2 - 10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108525

DO - 10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108525

M3 - Article

SN - 0306-4549

VL - 163

SP - 1

EP - 15

JO - Annals of nuclear energy

JF - Annals of nuclear energy

M1 - 108525

ER -