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Nondestructive Determination of Reactor Pressure Vessel Neutron Exposure by Continuous Gamma-Ray Spectrometry

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Reactor Dosimetry

Abstract

A nondestructive method for determinating reactor pressure vessel (RPV) neutron exposure is advanced. It is based on the observation of characteristic gamma-rays emitted by activation products in the RPV with a unique continuous gamma-ray spectrometer. This spectrometer views the RPV through appropriate collimators to determine the absolute emission rate of these characteristic gamma-rays, thereby ascertaining the absolute activity of given activation products in the RPV. These data can then be used to deduce the spatial and angular dependence of neutron exposure at regions of interest in the RPV. In addition, this method can be used to determine the concentrations of different constituents in the RPV by measuring the absolute flux of characteristic gamma-rays from radioactivity induced in these constituents through neutron exposure. Since copper concentration may be a crucial variable in radiation- induced embrittlement of RPVs, the ability of this method to measure copper concentrations in base metal and weldments is examined.

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References

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© 1985 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg

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Gold, R., McElroy, W.N., Kaiser, B.J., McNeece, J.P. (1985). Nondestructive Determination of Reactor Pressure Vessel Neutron Exposure by Continuous Gamma-Ray Spectrometry. In: Genthon, J.P., Röttger, H. (eds) Reactor Dosimetry. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5378-9_34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5378-9_34

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8873-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-5378-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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