Projects / Programmes
Long-lived activation in fission and fusion reactor shields
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.03.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Energy engineering |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T160 |
Technological sciences |
Nuclear engineering and technology |
reactor shield, fusion, fission, long-lived activation, nuclear reactor decommissioning
Researchers (2)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
06743 |
PhD Bogdan Glumac |
Energy engineering |
Head |
2004 - 2006 |
132 |
| 2. |
18276 |
PhD Tomaž Žagar |
Energy engineering |
Researcher |
2004 - 2006 |
279 |
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0106 |
Jožef Stefan Institute |
Ljubljana |
5051606000 |
90,768 |
Abstract
Long-lived activation in biological shields is becoming more interesting with anticipated decommissioning projects. Accurate knowledge about radioactive inventory present inside activated biological shields can help promote safe and economical final decommissioning of the reactor. Specific radioactivity of biological shield is smaller than activity of core components, and was in the past often neglected. However the cost of biological shield decommissioning is not so small due to its physical size. Long-lived activity in concrete biological shields is determined by rare isotopes and nuclides, which are present in raw materials only in traces. Trace elements concentrations in reactor materials are very case specific and in most cases they can be determined only experimentally for each reactor site at a time. Our research will include also activation of proposed shielding materials for fusion reactors and for European project ITER.
In proposed project long-lived activation in samples will be determined by activation in the TRIGA Mark II research reactor at "Jožef Stefan" Institute in Ljubljana. Activation experiments under realistic irradiation conditions are the most direct approach to determine long-lived activation potential in different reactor materials. After suitable cooling times the long-lived activity of activated samples will be determined using gamma spectroscopy. Measured values of sample activities will used for calibration of calculated values. With described fine adjustment of the experiment to real activation conditions inside bulk material of biological shield we reduce the errors and uncertainties in two crucial parameters needed in activation calculations, namely determination of neutron flux parameters and material isotopic composition calculation. Using proposed direct activation approach we can obtain higher accuracy and better reliability in long-lived activity determination compared to classical computational approach.
