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铀中子符合环进行燃料组件替换检出模拟研究

Simulation of Fuel Assembly Replacement Detection in Uranium Neutron Coincidence Ring

  • 摘要: 铀中子符合环(UNCL)作为一种基于中子符合计数法(NCC)的保障设备,常用于燃料组件235U线密度的测量。明确UNCL装置对燃料组件替换的敏感度,为拓展其在核不扩散领域中的应用具有现实意义。因此,基于Geant4工具包构建的UNCL装置模型,并利用装置模型对燃料组件替换检出以及对含钆燃料组件的影响进行了研究。研究结果表明,装置对远离中子源及聚乙烯板处的燃料棒敏感度较低。通过替换该区域内燃料棒的235U富集度,并比较替换前后的中子符合计数率相对偏差可发现,对于高富集度燃料棒,替换前后的相对偏差为6.93%~28.74%;相比之下,低235U富集度燃料棒的相对偏差仅为−1.09%。此外,将燃料组件中的标准燃料棒替换为不同含量以及数量的钆棒后进行符合测量可发现,装置对燃料组件中钆棒的存在极其敏感,含钆燃料棒的替换会导致中子符合计数率的相对偏差最高可达−11.85%。而对于存在非敏感区域高富集燃料棒替换的情况下,一定数量钆棒的存在将使得装置难以实现对替换的检出。

     

    Abstract: The uranium neutron coincidence collars (UNCL), as a safeguard device based on the neutron coincidence counting method (NMC), is often used to measure the 235U linear density of fuel assemblies. It is of practical significance to clarify the sensitivity of UNCL devices to the replacement of fuel assemblies for expanding their application in the field of nuclear non-proliferation. Therefore, based on the Geant4 toolkit, the UNCL device model was constructed, and the impact of fuel assembly replacement detection and the influence on gadolinium-containing fuel assemblies were studied using the device model. The research results show that the device has a relatively low sensitivity to the fuel rods far from the neutron source and the polyethylene plate. By replacing the 235U enrichment of the fuel rods in this area and comparing the relative deviation of the neutron coincidence count rate before and after the replacement, it can be found that, for highly enriched fuel rods, the relative deviation before and after replacement is 6.93% to 28.74%. In contrast, the relative deviation of the fuel rods with a lower 235U enrichment degree was only −1.09%. In addition, by replacing the standard fuel rods in the fuel assembly with gadolinium rods of different contents and quantities and conducting compliance measurements, it can be found that, the device is extremely sensitive to the presence of gadolinium rods in the fuel assembly. The replacement of gadolinium-containing fuel rods can lead to a relative deviation of the neutron coincidence count rate as high as −11.85%. In the case where there is a replacement of fuel rods with high enrichment in non-sensitive areas, the presence of a certain number of gadolinium rods will make it difficult for the device to detect the replacement.

     

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