This paper presents the results of a study to evaluate the feasibility of remotely detecting and quantifying fuel relocation from the core to the lower head, and to regions outside the reactor vessel primary containment of the Fukushima 1–3 reactors. The goals of this study were to determine measurement conditions and requirements, and to perform initial radiation transport sensitivity analyses for several potential measurement locations inside the reactor building. The radiation transport sensitivity analyses were performed based on reactor design information for boiling water reactors (BWRs) similar to the Fukushima reactors, ORIGEN2 analyses of 3-cycle BWR fuel inventories, and data on previously molten fuel characteristics from TMI-2. A 100 kg mass of previously molten fuel material located on the lower head of the reactor vessel was chosen as a fuel interrogation sensitivity target. Two measurement locations were chosen for the transport analyses, one inside the drywell and one outside the concrete biological shield surrounding the drywell. Results of these initial radiation transport analyses indicate that the 100 kg of previously molten fuel material may be detectable at the measurement location inside the drywell, but that it is highly unlikely that any amount of fuel material inside the reactor pressure vessel will be detectable from a location outside the concrete biological shield surrounding the drywell. Three additional fuel relocation scenarios were also analyzed to assess detection sensitivity for varying amount of relocated material in the lower head of the reactor vessel, in the control rods perpendicular to the detector system, and on the lower head of the drywell. Results of these analyses along with an assessment of background radiation effects and a discussion of measurement issues are included in the paper.
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2012 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering and the ASME 2012 Power Conference
July 30–August 3, 2012
Anaheim, California, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Nuclear Engineering Division
- Power Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4499-1
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Evaluation of a Method for Remote Detection of Fuel Relocation Outside the Original Core Volumes of Fukushima Reactor Units 1-3 Available to Purchase
Douglas W. Akers,
Douglas W. Akers
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
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Edwin A. Harvego
Edwin A. Harvego
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
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Douglas W. Akers
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
Edwin A. Harvego
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
Paper No:
ICONE20-POWER2012-54528, pp. 687-693; 7 pages
Published Online:
October 30, 2013
Citation
Akers, DW, & Harvego, EA. "Evaluation of a Method for Remote Detection of Fuel Relocation Outside the Original Core Volumes of Fukushima Reactor Units 1-3." Proceedings of the 2012 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering and the ASME 2012 Power Conference. Volume 5: Fusion Engineering; Student Paper Competition; Design Basis and Beyond Design Basis Events; Simple and Combined Cycles. Anaheim, California, USA. July 30–August 3, 2012. pp. 687-693. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE20-POWER2012-54528
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