Simulation of Charge Collection in a Boron-coated Straw Detector for Emerging Fuel Cycles

Ming Fang, Angela Di Fulvio

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) fuel is currently one of the most mature fuel types for candidate advanced reactor types, namely pebble bed reactors (PBRs). In PBRs, TRISO- fueled pebbles can be re-introduced into the core several times before reaching their target bumup. Non-destructive techniques capable of assaying235U mass in the pebble are therefore needed for nuclear material control and accountability during fuel recirculation. In this work, we have developed a new boron- coated straw (BCS) based neutron multiplicity counter (NMC) to estimate236U mass in each pebble. BCS detectors are chosen for their inherent high insensitivity to gamma rays that will enable their use to assay also irradiated pebbles and high neutron detection efficiency, comparable to3He detectors. The BCS- based NMC that we have designed was built by Proportional Technologies, Inc. (PTI) Houston, TX. In this work, we report the system-level simulation of the BCS-based NMC and the straw- level charge collection simulation coupled with a custom software to tally the detected pulse integral from the list mode energy deposited. We have developed a high-fidelity model of the NMC to simulate the response of a single straw detector to a262Cf source. The simulated die-away time, single neutron count rate, and double neutron count rate agree well with measured values, with a relative difference within ±0.4%. The simulated charge spectrum agrees well with the measured one in the case of a round straw. We plan to use the NMC to perform active and passive interrogation of fresh and spent fuel pebbles.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2022 IEEE NSS/MIC RTSD - IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9781665488723
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
Event2022 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference, and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference, IEEE NSS MIC RTSD 2022 - Milano, Italy
Duration: Nov 5 2022Nov 12 2022

Publication series

Name2022 IEEE NSS/MIC RTSD - IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference

Conference

Conference2022 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference, and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference, IEEE NSS MIC RTSD 2022
Country/TerritoryItaly
CityMilano
Period11/5/2211/12/22

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Instrumentation
  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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