Determination of burnup of nuclear fuel

Monterroso Urrutia, Edgar Andres (author), Snoj, Luka (mentor), Suikkanen, Heikki (co-mentor)

The concept of nuclear fuel burnup is introduced alongside some of its main applications. The fuel burnup equations are developed for its theoretical estimation and the gamma spectrometry technique is introduced as part of the non-destructive assays with its advantages, disadvantages and fuel burnup monitor selection, for its experimental estimation. A High-Purity Germanium detector from the ''Jožef Stefan'' Institute was calibrated in energy and efficiency. Lastly, a matlab code for the spectrum analysis was developed.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Gamma spectrometry, Fuel elements, Research reactors, Fission products, Fuel burnup
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Year: 2021
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-134981
• COBISS.SI-ID: 79794691
• Publication date in RUL: 16.02.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Določanje zgorelosti jedrskega goriva

Abstract

Magisterij predstavi koncept zgorevanja goriva in njegovo uporabo. Naredi pregled različnih metod za določanje zgorelosti s poudarkom na spektroskopiji žarkov gama kot eni najnatančenjših neporušitevnih preiskav za določanje zgorelosti jedrskega goriva. Pripravljena je tudi osnova za izvedbo meritve zgorelosti gorivnih elementov reraktorja TRIGA na IJS s spektorskopijo gama. In sicer sem izračunal korekcijske faktorje ter opravil kalibracija detektorja germanija visoke čistotsi na reaktorju TRIGA na Institutu Jožefa Stefana. Razvit je bil tudi program v orodju Matlab za analizo spektra žarkov gama.

• Keywords: Gama spektrometrija, Gorivni elementi, Raziskovalni reaktorji, Cepitveni dukti, Izgorevanje goriva