Restart of the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility Neutron Radiography Program

Jensen, S. R.; Craft, Aaron E.; Papaioannou, Glen C.; Ward, B.R.; Batt, Lee A.

doi:10.1080/00295450.2019.1605780

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Used nuclear fuel is a difficult sample for neutron imaging due to the density of the material and the high doses of gamma and neutron radiation being emitted. With the recent restart of the Transient Test Reactor (TREAT) at the Idaho National Laboratory [11,28], there will be an increased need for the abilities of the NRAD facility. It is essential that the neutron beams of the ERS and NRS are characterized to provide sufficient data to users of the facilities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Neutron Beam Characterization at Neutron Radiography (NRAD) Reactor East Beam Following Reactor Modifications

Giegel

Craft

Papaioannou

et al. 2021

QuBS

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Neutron Radiography Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has two beamlines extending radially outward from the east and north faces of the reactor core. The control rod withdrawal procedure has recently been altered, potentially changing power distribution of the reactor and thus the properties of the neutron beams, calling for characterization of the neutron beams. The characterization of the East Radiography Station involved experiments used to measure the following characteristics: Neutron flux, neutron beam uniformity, cadmium ratio, image quality, and the neutron energy spectrum. The ERS is a Category-I neutron radiography facility signifying it has the highest possible rank a radiography station can achieve. The thermal equivalent neutron flux was measured using gold foil activation and determined to be 9.61 × 106 ± 2.47 × 105 n/cm2-s with a relatively uniform profile across the image plane. The cadmium ratio measurement was performed using bare and cadmium-covered gold foils and measured to be 2.05 ± 2.9%, indicating large epithermal and fast neutron content in the beam. The neutron energy spectrum was measured using foil activation coupled with unfolding algorithms provided by the software package Unfolding with MAXED and GRAVEL (UMG). The Monte-Carlo N-Particle (MCNP6) transport code was used to assist with the unfolding process. UMG, MCNP6, and measured foil activities were used to determine a neutron energy spectrum which was implemented into the MCNP6 model of the east neutron beam to contribute to future studies.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Higher neutron flux can reduce exposure times or improve signal-to-noise ratio for longer exposures. Neutron activation analysis with gold foils was determined to be the most appropriate neutron flux measurement technique [10,11]. An array of 21 gold foils was attached to an aluminum plate that could fit into the cassette device.…”

Section: Neutron Beam Fluxmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutron Beam Characterization at Neutron Radiography (NRAD) Reactor East Beam Following Reactor Modifications

Giegel

Craft

Papaioannou

et al. 2021

QuBS

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Neutron radiography provides more comprehensive information about the internal geometry of irradiated nuclear fuel than any other nondestructive examination technique and has demonstrated its importance to the nuclear industry for many decades [1]. The first neutron radiography experiments at INL were first conducted in 1964, with the first dedicated neutron radiography beamline being built in 1967 at the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility [2]. The construction of the NRAD reactor in 1978 included two neutron beamlines specifically designed for neutron radiography of irradiated nuclear fuels [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The construction of the NRAD reactor in 1978 included two neutron beamlines specifically designed for neutron radiography of irradiated nuclear fuels [3]. All three neutron radiography beamlines (two at NRAD and one at TREAT) use the indirect radiography methods, where a cassette of different foils is placed in the beamline and activated, then removed and placed next to either film or image plates to render an image [2,4]. The indirect method is not sensitive to gamma rays but is time-consuming.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%