The MUSE-4 experimental programme in the zero power fast facility MASURCA at CEA Cadarache aims a... more The MUSE-4 experimental programme in the zero power fast facility MASURCA at CEA Cadarache aims at studying accelerator-driven-systems (ADS). One of the main objectives is the qualification of measuring and monitoring sub-critical reactivities. Rossi- and Feynman-α and pulsed neutron source techniques based on the use of the GENEPI deuteron accelerator are investigated to assess the prompt neutron decay constant α
Miniature fission chambers are suited tools for instrumenting experimental reactors, allowing onl... more Miniature fission chambers are suited tools for instrumenting experimental reactors, allowing online and in-core neutron measurements of quantities such as fission rates or reactor power. A new set of such detectors was produced by CEA to be used during the next experimental program at the EOLE facility starting in 2013. Some of these detectors will be employed in pulse mode for absolute measurements, thus requiring calibration. The calibration factor is expressed in mass units and thus called "effective mass". A calibration campaign was conducted in December 2012 at the SCK•CEN BR1 facility within the framework of the scientific cooperation VEP (VENUS-EOLE-PROTEUS) between SCK•CEN, CEA and PSI.
The MUSE-4 experimental programme in the zero power fast facility MASURCA at CEA Cadarache aims a... more The MUSE-4 experimental programme in the zero power fast facility MASURCA at CEA Cadarache aims at studying accelerator-driven-systems (ADS). One of the main objectives is the qualification of measuring and monitoring sub-critical reactivities. Rossi- and Feynman-α and pulsed neutron source techniques based on the use of the GENEPI deuteron accelerator are investigated to assess the prompt neutron decay constant α
During the MAESTRO program, carried out between 2011 and 2014 in MINERVE zero power reactor, comm... more During the MAESTRO program, carried out between 2011 and 2014 in MINERVE zero power reactor, common Gen-II and Gen-III light water reactor materials were irradiated. For some of these materials, the decay of their activation products was also measured by γ spectrometry. Initially devoted to the measurement of the integral capture cross section by activation and reactivity-oscillation method, these results can also provide useful information on decay data of various radionuclides. This approach of this experiment led to a common roadmap shared by the Experimental Physics Section and the Henri Becquerel National Laboratory to improve decay data in nuclear data libraries. Results discussed in this paper concern the relative emission intensities of the main γ rays of 116mIn. Six irradiations of samples with various physical forms of natIn were carried out. Measurements were analyzed using decay data from several evaluations and it is shown that γ ray activities are not consistent. Analy...
ABSTRACT Pressure vessel integrity assessment requires neutron fluence computed at both the vesse... more ABSTRACT Pressure vessel integrity assessment requires neutron fluence computed at both the vessel inner wall and the surveillance capsule location. Therefore, calculation must be validated, not only at the vessel hot spot but also at any position on the vessel where metallurgical defects may be detected. The FLUOLE-2 program is a benchmark-type experiment carried out to provide accurate experimental data for the validation of neutron spectrum propagation from the core to the vessel. This experiment simulates neutron transport in both 900 MWe and 1450 MWe French power plant geometries. FLUOLE-2 completes the initial program FLUOLE, held in 2006-2007, dedicated to the validation of neutron propagation in 1300 MWe reactors. FLUOLE-2 is a two years program, starting from 2014, conducted in the EOLE critical facility at the CEA/Cadarache Center. FLUOLE-2 experimental structures are representative of French nuclear power plant internals. The core is reduced to a square of 29 x 29 fuel pins assembly, where both UO2 and MOX fuels are loaded in two separate portions, in order to exhibit U and Pu contributions at the vessel. A stainless steel baffle, which thickness is similar to industrial one’s, surrounds the core. PWR barrel and neutron pad are simulated by polygonal shapes of steel leading to various steel/water distances, representative of actual industrial configurations. Stainless steel components stand for both surveillance capsule and pressure vessel. Precise knowledge of core sources is a key-point for the analysis of experimental results in the reflector. This information is obtained by integral gamma scanning measurements performed on fuel pins and by reaction rates measurements using calibrated fission chambers placed inside the core. Spatial and energy neutron distributions are characterized from activation dosimeters with various thresholds covering the whole spectrum of interest. More than 750 dosimeters will be irradiated in the core, the reflector and internals. Measurement locations have been designed on the whole experimental structure in order to enable spectrum measurements on both inner and outer sides of the vessel. Dosimeters activities are measured on calibrated gamma or X spectrometry devices; uncertainties on absolute activities range from 2% to 10% (2). Due to the low level of neutron flux delivered by EOLE, a high-efficiency calibrated gamma spectrometry bench is needed. Activity as low as 0.01 Bq is expected to be measured for a high-energy threshold dosimeter irradiated far-off the core, behind the component simulating the PWR vessel. Accurate experimental results will allow discriminating the origin of possible discrepancies between calculation and measurement: core sources distribution, fission spectrum shapes and nuclear data. These variables are key parameters for the validation of neutron spectrum propagation and surveillance dosimetry .
Reactor Dosimetry State of the Art 2008 - Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium, 2009
FLUOLE is a new benchmark-type experiment dedicated to PWR vessel surveillance dosimetry. It prov... more FLUOLE is a new benchmark-type experiment dedicated to PWR vessel surveillance dosimetry. It provides precise experimental data for the validation of the neutron spectrum propagation calculation from the core to the vessel. The square core is surrounded by a stainless steel baffle and internals with innovative design: the PWR barrel is simulated by two half-cylindrical steel structures, leading to different
Neutron fluence vessel assessment in the 1300 MWe NPP French fleet: the FLUOLE program in EOLE
The Vessel Neutron fluence assessment is a key parameter for vessel embrittlement determination a... more The Vessel Neutron fluence assessment is a key parameter for vessel embrittlement determination and plant lifetime estimation To validate this parameters, the CEA and its Industrial Partner EdF have decided to launch a devoted experimental program in the EOLE facility of the Cadarache Research Centre The aim of this proposed FLUOLE experimental program (acronym of Fluence in EOLE) is to
FLUOLE-2: An Experiment for PWR Pressure Vessel Surveillance
EPJ Web of Conferences, 2016
ABSTRACT Pressure vessel integrity assessment requires neutron fluence computed at both the vesse... more ABSTRACT Pressure vessel integrity assessment requires neutron fluence computed at both the vessel inner wall and the surveillance capsule location. Therefore, calculation must be validated, not only at the vessel hot spot but also at any position on the vessel where metallurgical defects may be detected. The FLUOLE-2 program is a benchmark-type experiment carried out to provide accurate experimental data for the validation of neutron spectrum propagation from the core to the vessel. This experiment simulates neutron transport in both 900 MWe and 1450 MWe French power plant geometries. FLUOLE-2 completes the initial program FLUOLE, held in 2006-2007, dedicated to the validation of neutron propagation in 1300 MWe reactors. FLUOLE-2 is a two years program, starting from 2014, conducted in the EOLE critical facility at the CEA/Cadarache Center. FLUOLE-2 experimental structures are representative of French nuclear power plant internals. The core is reduced to a square of 29 x 29 fuel pins assembly, where both UO2 and MOX fuels are loaded in two separate portions, in order to exhibit U and Pu contributions at the vessel. A stainless steel baffle, which thickness is similar to industrial one’s, surrounds the core. PWR barrel and neutron pad are simulated by polygonal shapes of steel leading to various steel/water distances, representative of actual industrial configurations. Stainless steel components stand for both surveillance capsule and pressure vessel. Precise knowledge of core sources is a key-point for the analysis of experimental results in the reflector. This information is obtained by integral gamma scanning measurements performed on fuel pins and by reaction rates measurements using calibrated fission chambers placed inside the core. Spatial and energy neutron distributions are characterized from activation dosimeters with various thresholds covering the whole spectrum of interest. More than 750 dosimeters will be irradiated in the core, the reflector and internals. Measurement locations have been designed on the whole experimental structure in order to enable spectrum measurements on both inner and outer sides of the vessel. Dosimeters activities are measured on calibrated gamma or X spectrometry devices; uncertainties on absolute activities range from 2% to 10% (2). Due to the low level of neutron flux delivered by EOLE, a high-efficiency calibrated gamma spectrometry bench is needed. Activity as low as 0.01 Bq is expected to be measured for a high-energy threshold dosimeter irradiated far-off the core, behind the component simulating the PWR vessel. Accurate experimental results will allow discriminating the origin of possible discrepancies between calculation and measurement: core sources distribution, fission spectrum shapes and nuclear data. These variables are key parameters for the validation of neutron spectrum propagation and surveillance dosimetry .
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