title: An iterative approach for TRIGA fuel burn-up determination using nondestructive gamma-ray spectrometry.
abstract: The purpose of this work is to establish a method for evaluating the burn-up values of the rod-type TRIGA spent fuel by using gamma-ray spectrometry of the short-lived fission products 97Zr/97Nb, 132I, and 140La. Fuel irradiation history is not needed in this method. Short-lived fission-product activities were established by reirradiating the spent fuels in a nuclear reactor. Based on the measured activities, 235U burn-up values can be deduced by iterative calculations. The complication caused by 239Pu production and fission is also discussed in detail. The burn-up values obtained by this method are in good agreement with those deduced from the conventional method based on long-lived fission products 137Cs, 134Cs/137Cs ratio and 106Ru/137Cs ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China. tkw@faculty.nthu.edu.tw
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Peir