Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
1996 International RERTR Meeting

NUCLEAR MASS INVENTORY, PHOTON DOSE RATE AND THERMAL DECAY HEAT OF SPENT RESEARCH REACTOR FUEL ASSEMBLIES

R.B. Pond and J.E. Matos

Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne, Illinois 60439-4841 USA

ABSTRACT

This document has been prepared to assist research reactor operators possessing spent fuel containing enriched uranium of United States origin to prepare part of the documentation necessary to ship this fuel to the United States. Data are included on the nuclear mass inventory, photon dose rate, and thermal decay heat of spent research reactor fuel assemblies.

Isotopic masses of U, Np, Pu and Am that are present in spent research reactor fuel are estimated for MTR, TRIGA, and DIDO fuel assembly types. The isotopic masses of each fuel assembly type are given as functions of U-235 burnup in the spent fuel, and of initial U-235 enrichment and U-235 mass in the fuel assembly.

Photon dose rates of spent MTR, TRIGA and DIDO-type fuel assemblies are estimated for fuel assemblies with up to 80% U-235 burnup and specific power densities between 0.089 and 2.857 MW/kg²³⁵U, and for fission product decay times of up to 20 years.

Thermal decay heat loads are estimated for spent fuel based upon the fuel assembly irradiation history (average assembly power vs. elapsed time) and the spent fuel cooling time.