Inspection of domestic nuclear fuel rods using neutron radiography at the Tehran Research Reactor

Abstract

Abstract Three unused domestic fuel rods were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively by means of thermal neutron radiography. The neutron radiography tests were performed by the image plate method at Tehran research reactor in order to check the fuel properties. The pellets of these three fuel rods contained three different U-235 enrichments and different sizes that were filled into a zircalloy tube. In the qualitative investigations, the difference in size and enrichment between the pellets and the gaps between them were obviously recognized in the image of the fuel rods. In the quantitative investigations, data of the pellets compositions, their sizes (lengths and diameters) and the gaps between them were extracted from obtained images. It was found that the measured data and the manufacturer's specifications are in good agreement.