Year
1972
Abstract
The purpose of this report is to present a description of the desipn and of the operating characteristics of a calorimeter which was built for the nondestructive measurement of the plutonium in the ZPPR (Zero Power Plutonium Reactor) mixed-oxide fuel rods. Design details of two models of this instrument are presented together with an evaluation of the operating characteristics. The evaluation is based upon the experience of using the instruments to nondestructively assay a fuel inventory. A discussion of this inventory measurement program is included and comparisons are made to chemical analyses and other nondestructive measurements. Both models are small, portable instruments and require relatively short measurement times compared to those usually expected of calorimeters. One ZPPR fuel rod, which is about 3/8\" diameter by 6\" long, can be measured at a time. Measurement time, is 90 minutes with Model 1 and 20 minutes with Model 2. Measurement precision for the ZPPR fuel rods, which contain roughly 13 to 26 wt % Pu, is as good or better than that attainable by most nondestructive assay techniques. The calorimeters are relatively inexpensive to fabricate and are simple to operate.