Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Other

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Thomas V Congedo

Edward Jean Lahoda

Michael D Heibel

John Bartko

John G Seidel

Abdul R Dulloo

Francis H Ruddy

Frank H Ruddy

David C Grant

Warren R Junker

David F McLaughlin

Steven H Peterson

Arnold H Fero

John P Lareau

Michael C Skriba

Edward F Sverdrup

Robert E Witkowski

Arthur L Wolfe

Joseph L Gonzalez

Stanwood L Anderson

William D Partlow

Thomas S Snyder

George J Collins

Robert Miles Young

Carl Baldwin Freidhoff

William A Byers

Karl F Schoch, Jr

Brandon Damon Thomas

Timothy T Braggins

John M Iacovino, Jr

Cenk Guler

Stanwood L Anderson, Jr

Vefa N Kucukboyaci

John G Siedel

Francis H Ruddgy

William H Carder

Ellen V Gray

Bojan Petrovic

Joanna C Sutton

An article made by applying a burnable poison onto the cladding of a nuclear fuel rod, which involves providing a nuclear fuel rod and at least one application device, rotating the nuclear fuel rod, optionally removing one or more oxides and/or surface deposits on the outer surface of the nuclear fuel rod by spraying an abrasive material onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device while adjusting the position of the application device in relation to the nuclear fuel rod, and applying burnable poison particles onto the outer surface of the nuclear fuel rod by spraying the burnable poison onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device while adjusting the position of the application device in relation to the nuclear fuel rod, where the burnable poison particles are applied at a velocity sufficient to cause adhesion to the outer surface of the cladding.

Nuclear fuel cladding having an exterior comprising burnable poison in contact with aqueous reactor coolant

A method for applying a burnable poison onto the cladding of a nuclear fuel rod () which comprises, providing a nuclear fuel rod () and at least one application device (), rotating the nuclear fuel rod, optionally removing one or more oxides and/or surface deposits on the outer surface of the nuclear fuel rod () by spraying an abrasive material onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device () while adjusting the position of the application device in relation to the nuclear fuel rod (), and applying burnable poison particles () onto the outer surface () of the nuclear fuel rod () by spraying the burnable poison onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device while adjusting the position of the application device () in relation to the nuclear fuel rod, where the burnable poison particles are applied at a velocity sufficient to cause adhesion to the outer surface () of the cladding.

Method of applying a burnable poison onto the exterior of nuclear rod cladding

A method and associated apparatus for detecting concealed fissile, fissionable or special nuclear material in an article, such as a shipping container, is provided. The article is irradiated with a source of fast neutrons, and fast neutrons released by the fissile or fissionable material, if present, are detected between source neutron pulses. The method uses a neutron detector that can detect and discriminate fast neutrons in the presence of thermal neutrons and gamma radiation. The detector is able to process high count rates and is resistant to radiation damage, and is preferably a solid state neutron detector comprised of silicon carbide.

Nonintrusive method for the detection of concealed special nuclear material

A method of monitoring a nuclear reactor includes monitoring the nuclear reactor with a plurality of radiation sensors having spaced apart attachments to a radiation hard cable; providing signal processing equipment at each end of the cable for processing signals from the radiation sensors; establishing signal time intervals based upon differences in time of arrival of signals from the radiation sensors to the signal processing equipment at each end of the cable; producing a plurality of output signals each of which has an amplitude proportional to a difference in time of arrival of a signal to the signal processing equipment at each end of the cable; and rejecting output signals which have a difference in time of arrival outside of the signal time intervals.

Method and system for monitoring radiation and rejecting noise

Detectors are used to monitor the status of spent nuclear fuel storage containers non-invasively while they remain in storage casks. The detectors measure neutron flux and &ggr;-ray flux and may also measure temperature variations of the spent nuclear fuel. The measurements can be accomplished actively or passively, with minimal exposure of individuals to radiation fields or other hazardous conditions. Preferred neutron and &ggr;-ray detectors have a semiconductor active region that is resistant to neutron damage. Incipient structural failures may also be detected using measurements based on electrical continuity, with data being transmitted to an external pickup coil.

In-situ self-powered monitoring of stored spent nuclear fuel

An improved method and apparatus for performing measurements related to spent nuclear fuel burnup is disclosed. The use of temperature- and radiation-resistant semiconductor detectors permits simultaneous monitoring of neutron and gamma ray emission rates from spent fuel, as well as providing axial burnup gradient information. The semiconductor detectors preferably comprise SiC. The method and apparatus provide significant cost reductions, lowered radiation exposures and increased operational safety during spent fuel monitoring operations.

Monitoring of neutron and gamma radiation

Prompt Gamma Neuteon Activation Analysis (PGNAA) is employed to determined in situ the content of nickel, copper, or other embrittlement-enhancing elements within the weld metal joints of nuclear reactor pressure vessels.

PGNAA system for non-invasively inspecting RPV weld metal in situ, to

A gas ionizer is provided for use in a solid state mass spectrograph for analyzing a sample of gas. The gas ionizer is located in a cavity provided in a semiconductor substrate which includes an inlet for introducing the gas to be analyzed. The gas ionizer ionizes the sample of gas drawn into the cavity through the inlet to generate an ionized sample gas. The gas ionizer generates energetic particles or photons which bombard the gas to be sampled to produce ionized gas. The energetic particles or photons can be generated by reverse-bias p-n junctions, radioactive isotopes, electron discharges, point emitters, and thermionic electron emitters. A layer of cesium chloride or cesium iodide having a low work function is formed on top of the reverse-bias p-n junction gas ionizer to increase current emitted per junction area and so that the gas ionizer can be exposed to atmospheric oxygen during storage and can operate in reduced atmosphere with no additional treatments. The cesium chloride layer and the cesium iodide layer do not readily electromigrate. A fabrication process of the mass spectrograph includes using plural masks to ensure proper exposure of resist on both flat and wall surfaces of the semiconductor surface having severe topography.

Micro-miniature ionizer for gas sensor applications and method of making

The present invention provides for methods for on-line monitoring of a molten process phase to determine the extent of extraction of radioactive species from a waste metal contaminated with the radioactive species. The waste metal is mixed with an inorganic flux material in a furnace, wherein the flux material extracts the radioactive species from the waste metal. Periodically, a portion of the furnace composition is sampled from the furnace and separated into a molten flux phase and a molten metal phase. Either of these phases is then analyzed in its molten state to determine the extent of the extraction process.

Metal decontamination process and systems for accomplishing same

A system for determining depth profiles of concentrations of hazardous elements in soils comprises a neutron source for generating neutrons of a first energy level and irradiating a volume of soil with the neutrons. Nuclear reactions are effected within the soil and gamma radiation is emitted from the soil. The system also includes an array of gamma detectors for detecting gamma radiation emitted from the soil; source electronics for controlling the width of regularly repeated pulses of neutrons generated by the neutron source; detector electronics associated with the gamma detectors for amplifying and digitalizing signals generated by the gamma detectors and storing data representing the digitalized signals; spectral analysis software for analyzing the data and determining the concentrations of selected target elements in the soil; and an acquisition interface module (AIM). The AIM controls the timing of the source and detector electronics such that the neutron source generates neutrons in regularly repeated bursts of a prescribed pulse width and the detectors and detector electronics detect gamma rays during a plurality of time intervals associated with the burst and acquire groups of data. Each group is indicative of a number of gamma rays emitted and their energy levels during a corresponding time interval. The system also includes a mobile platform carrying the neutron source, array of gamma ray detectors and software for determining a depth profile of a target element. Trace elements can also be detected with the disclosed system.

Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis system

The concentrations of residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material in a slurry produced in a particulate material washing process are monitored on-line and can be used to control the washing process. In alternative embodiments of the invention, x-rays, thermal neutrons or laser beams are directed at the slurry as it flows through a flow cell to induce emission of secondary x-rays, gamma rays or light, respectively, characteristic of the heavy metal contaminants and constituents representative of the solids contents of the slurry. These characteristic energies are measured and used to determine the concentration in ppm of the residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material within the slurry.

System and method for on-line monitoring and control of heavy metal

A method for determining the depth of a gamma emitting element beneath the surface of a volume of soil is disclosed. The disclosed method includes the steps of detecting gamma rays at a first height h.sub.1 above the surface; detecting gamma rays at a second height h.sub.2 above the surface; determining a ratio R representative of the ratio of the number of gamma rays detected at h.sub.2 to the number of gamma rays detected at h.sub.1, or vice versa; and inferring, on the basis of the ratio R, an estimate of the depth of the gamma emitting element beneath the surface.

Method and apparatus for determining the depth of a gamma emitting

A neutron dosimeter and a method for neutron dosimetry involving a two-layer structure, one layer being a fissile material, and the other being a material which changes its conductivity in accordance with a density of implanted ions. Neutrons striking the fissile material result in the production of energetic ions, a determinable number of which implant themselves in the second layer and so alter its conductivity. Measurements of the conductivity of the second layer provide information from which neutron dose may be inferred.

Neutron dosimeter

A method and apparatus for measuring a neutron flux in which the neutrons induce fission reactions in the layer of fissile material, the fission reactions in turn inducing light pulses in a scintillator material. A photomultiplier tube detects the light pulses and emits an electrical pulse in response. The electrical pulses are summed, checked for coincidence, stored, and otherwise manipulated in order to detect and measure neutron flux. In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, several different fissile materials or coated and uncoated fissile materials are used in order to obtain a spectral distribution of the incident neutron flux. At another embodiment, opposed detectors are used in order to discriminate between actual neutron-induced fission events and background events.

Method and apparatus for neutron dosimetry

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Thomas V Congedo