Analyses and Measurements of Gamma-Ray Heating in the Demonstration Benchmark Plutonium-Fueled Critical Assembly

State of the art on nuclear heating measurement methods and expected improvements in zero power research reactors

“…The main experiments during which TLD measurements have been performed are described in detail in references [19,[26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] and briefly summarized below: -Photon heating measurements were carried out in stainless steel and UO 2 fuel rods of the FBBF 4 fast neutron reactor, using CaF 2 and LiF TLDs encapsulated in stainless steel and lead pillboxes [27]. The measured doses corrected for the fuel background activity are quite consistent between the different types of TLDs.…”

“…The calculation overestimates the measurements (corrected for delayed photon dose) of about 15% (1s), that was attributed to the iron nuclear data on photon production through inelastic scattering. -As part of the validation studies on iron, Teflon and tantalum nuclear data, photon heating was measured in three configurations of the ZPPR 6 core, using LiF TLDs inserted into stainless steel, B 4 C, Teflon and Ta/Na devices [29]. The measured doses were corrected for background noise, delayed photon and neutron components, allowing to achieve C/E ratios ranging from 0.97 in Teflon to 1.03 in B 4 C. This experiment pointed out the need to accurately know the photon spectrum at detectors location so as to properly determine the correction factors to apply to raw measurements.…”

State of the art on nuclear heating in a mixed (n/γ) field in research reactors

“…Gamma heating measurements were performed in the Zero Power Plutonium Reactor (ZPPR) in the US in the early 70s [30]. These measurements were performed in three different configurations so as to validate the steel, Teflon and tantalum data.…”

Energy dependence of metallic-encapsulated thermoluminescent dosimeters. Annual report

“…Thermoluminescent dosimeters are receiving international attention for measuring the gamma-ray energy deposition in various regions of critical assemblies such as the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Zero Power Reactors (ZPRs). .This interest was largely generated by the successful demonstration of the technique by scientists within the ANL Applied Physics (AP) Division (1)(2)(3)(4). Intercomparison of theresults obtainable, and procedures used, by the experts in the field provides the opportunity for exchanging informatio~ between the United States and foreign nations.…”