Year
1961
Abstract
The non-destructive assay of reactor fuel assemblies and plates has been of fundamental concern to reactor operators (and fuel element fabricators) since essentially the first plate came off the assembly line. Measurement of fuel loading for a given plate or assembly is important not only from a materials accountability standpoint, but also for technical reasons relating to reactor operation and control- In the early days of MTR operation an attempt at solution of this problem was made through the use of a beam of thermal neutrons emanating from the MTR reactor. The fuel element to be assayed was placed in the beam. Fast fission neutrons consequently generated were detected by counters placed on opposite sides of the fuel element and in a plane 90° to the thermal beam. A specially fabricated track and motor driven carriage were used to propel the fuel element to be scanned across the neutron beam at constant speed.