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detection and measurement for non-destructive characterization and control in nuclear media.

Abdallah Lyoussi (CEA) IEEE DL Capetown, July 7-17, 2018

IEEE NPSS International School for Real Time Systems in Particle Physics 2018

A. LYOUSSI (CEA/DEN/CAD) FRANCE [email protected] SUMMARY

 INTRODUCTION

 Specific features, constraints and requirements

 Examples of radiation measurements and associated instrumentation for : - In Pile Measurements - characterization and control

 Conclusions and prospects RADIATION DETECTION & MEASUREMENTS: APPLICATION DOMAINS / SUB-DOMAINS

Domain « Materials Science & Industry » Domain NDT / Neutronography K / Industrial «Geophysics» measurement/Imagery Oil & Gas A

Neutron and Photons Moisture monitoring B J facilities

Applications of Reactor monitoring / C In‐core I Instrumentation Domain and radiation Reactor monitoring / Fundamental Physics D «F. Physics & Space » detection Ex‐core

H systems Nuclear facility E systems Homeland security Domain Environment Control F «Security » & Dose Rate Monitors Domain «Nuclear» G

Domain «Medical» Nuclear Media : Nuclear Cycle Concentration Mining Natural Conversion Enrichment © CEA

Reprocessed Uranium Storage

Vitrified HLW Compacted ILW UOx Fuel

Storage Ultimate Fabrication Rad Wastes MOX Fuel MA FP Fabrication

L&ILW-VC Spent fuel Reprocessing Plant

Reactor Storage Spent MOX fuel : Instrumentation & measurement are key aspects for control & characterization Main in-pile measurements

Neutron & Photon Flux T, Dimensions ,

Nuclear Heating Defects, Failure Conventional measurements

Mechanical Loading Neutron Dosimetry Fission gas release, fuel Neutronic Parameters movement

Temperature, Pressure IN‐PILE MEASUREMENTS Physical‐Chemical parameters

Mass Flow

Void fraction, diphasic flow Within severe constraints, a real R&D and Innovation challenge !

| PAGE 6 INSTRUMENTATION & MEASUREMENTS IN NUCLEAR MEDIA

Modeling / Simulation is currently used during R&D as well as during routine issues of Instrumentation and measurement: From Design to Analysis (Sensor Design & Modeling, Detection Efficiency, Nuclear Data…). e.g. TRIPOLI, MCNP, GEANT4, FNDS, MATISSE…

Dosimetry, Gamma and X-ray spectrometry, Gamma and X Imaging, Neutron Imaging, Alpha radiography, Beta spectrometry, passive & active neutron measurement, PNAA, DNAA, Photon interrogation. CHALLENGES FOR INSTRUMENTATION & MEASUREMENTS IN NUCLEAR ENVIRONMENTS

Reliable

impossible or difficult maintenance on irradiated objects

Accurate despite a very severe environment

to follow modelling progress; ex: µm dimensional measurements, ∆T<5°C

Miniature

narrow location to get maximal neutron flux: few mm available

Corrosion resistant

operation in pressurized water, high temperature gas, liquid metals…

High temperature resistant

> 300°C, up to 1600°C

Neutron /  “resistant” Sensitivity & Selectivity dose > 15kGy/s and > 10dpa/y SUMMARY

 INTRODUCTION

 Specific features, constraints and requirements

 Examples of radiation measurements and associated instrumentation for : - In Pile Measurements - Radioactive waste characterization and control

 Conclusions and prospects INSTRUMENTATION & MEASUREMENTS IN NUCLEAR MEDIA

 IN PILE INSTRUMENATION AND MEASUREMENT

 MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION FOR NDA Reminder : Main Aim of Measurements : To reduce uncertainties

To reduce uncertainties at each step of the process; from conceptual design to final running of nuclear system(s)

Basic/Fundamental Data Online Monitoring Measurement of Basic Monitoring & Control in Physical Data NPP

Verification Design Tools

Smart/Analytical Experiments Global/Integral Experiments on  Predictive / Calculations ZPR Reactors Model Development  Check, verify, predictions Validation of Models/ Calculation schemes In Pile Measurements, Qualification and Testing in 11 MTRs IN-PILE INSTRUMENTATION & MEASUREMENT : CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS

Harsh environment High dynamic range  T (1600°C), P (155 bar) >10 decades for n and    Time and spatial Gradients  (dpa, transmutation)  Miniaturization (few mm3) High range for n/  n : 9 decades – 10-8 - 20 MeV Deported acquisition system   : 1 eV - 10 MeV  up to 100 m In-core  CEM Measurements  Noise / low signal Mixed field n,   Selectivity Maintenance  Reliability Timing of the measurement  On line(µs) - Off ligne (fading)  Calibration in situ / Drifting

 Quantitative :  Absolut/relative values (  < 1 to 10% - 2)  Flux, Fluences, Doses, T°, P, Dimensions  Characterization : Energy Spectra (n,)  Mapping, Gradients, Evolutions,..

 Prototype development duration : 5 to 10 years  High cost for qualification (irradiation) IN-PILE MEASUREMENTS

Objectives and Requirements

In-pile measurements are essential to: • Monitor the experiments Objectives of irradiation tests : Assess / verify / increase the precision of behavior laws under irradiation

Studied property Influence parameter (ex : fragility, cracking, corrosion, conductivity, etc.) (temperature, physicochemical conditions, etc.)

Integrated flux / dose damages

 All these parameters must be accurately measured !

• Check safety parameters = check that some specified parameters stay in their acceptable range (e.g. : temperature, pressure, etc.) PAGE 13 What are the Objectives of a MTR (Material Testing Reactor) ?

MTR allows to reproduce on a small scale, real plant conditions and in some cases, more severe conditions for Material screening (comparison of materials tested under representative conditions) Material characterization (behaviour of one material in a wide range of operating conditions, up to off-normal and severe conditions) Fuel element qualification (test of one / several fuel rods (clad+fuel)) JHR: 3 MAIN OBJECTIVES

R&D in support to nuclear Industry Safety and Plant life time management (ageing & new plants) Fuel behavior validation in incidental and accidental situation Assess innovations and related safety for future NPPs

Radio-isotopes supply for medical application reference possible evolution MOLI production JHR will supply 25% of the European demand (today about 8 millions protocols/year) and up to 50% upon specific request

JHR will be a key tool to support expertise

Training of new generations (JHR simulator, secondee’s program) Maintaining a national expertise staff and credibility for public acceptance Assessing safety requirements evolution and international regulation harmonisation It is real: The Provençal Blue Sky….

| PAGE 16 JULES HOROWITZ (JHR) MTR REACTOR JULES HOROWITZ (JHR) MTR REACTOR

Reflector Core Φ ≥ 5.5 1014 n/cm².s Φ ≥ 5.5 1014 n/cm².s > 1 MeV 20 fixed locations Φ ≥ 1015 n/cm².s > 0.1 MeV 6 mobile locations Thermal neutron flux Fast neutron flux

Material ageing (up to 16 dpa/y) Applications : Material and fuel samples irradiation/ageing Radio-isotopes production for medical use …

Geometry: From 34 to 37 cylinder-shaped fuel assemblies U3Si2-Al fuel enrichment of 19,75% then 27% Aluminum racks (hosting all the fuel assemblies) control rods (in the center of fuel assemblies) reflector 1. Contexte, enjeux et objectifs | PAGE 18 IN-PILE MEASUREMENTS Main Stakes Radiations

Reduction of uncertainties in Better characterization of thermo- experimental conditions hydraulic conditions - / gamma flux  temperature field / fluid flows - Neutron spectrum - Neutron fluence Physical parameters Better knowledge of nuclear heating  design of experimental devices Highly instrumented experiments Major stack for JHR Online measurement of « Cook and look »  experimental parameters

Material behavior Fuel improvement and qualification New materials, better representativeness - Fission gas release - Temperature - Pellet-cladding interaction - Deformations (creep…) - Accidental conditions (LOCA) Origin and Basics of Nuclear Heating

Fuel Experimental channel (n,p)3 (n,)4 N-Transportn N 2 Prompt Activation (few mn to  h) P-Transport P n’)  

 (n, 1

) / p 

N (n,

N Delayed Collisions N N  e - - D-Transport  R Photoelectric, Compton Or Pair Production effect - e - Prediction of reached temperatures Nuclear Nuclear heating of heatingDimensioning in fuel of Source experimental channels experimentalelement irradiation devices and systems 1Radiative Capture 2Inelastic Scattering 3 4Non-Radiative Capture C. Devita et al. (2016) : « Étude et Optimisation de Calorimètres en Milieu Inactif Dédiés à la Mesure de l’Échauffement Nucléaire dans le Réacteur Jules Horowitz : Des Phénomènes Physiques à l’Étalonnage »; AMU Thesis defended in 2016. NUCLEAR HEATING IN JHR

Photon heating is the main contributor to total heating in non-fissile materials and leads to temperature increases.

Heated materials must therefore be accordingly cooled down so as to eliminate risks of local boiling ,e.g. around hafnium rods, and of creep deformations, e.g. of the aluminum rack. A good knowledge of the profiles of photon heating in irradiation devices is also necessary for the design of irradiation experiments. Temperature of irradiated samples is one of the key parameters to establish the representativeness of JHR irradiation with regards to irradiation in other light-water reactors, e.g. Pressurized-Water Reactors(PWR).

Depending on expected values of heating, irradiation devices must appropriately be designed with systems to monitor and control sample temperature. It was estimated* that an uncertainty of 5% (at one standard deviation) on calculated photon heating, associated with the nuclear data used in the photon calculations, is required to meet these challenges.

(*) M. Lemaire et al. (2015). Experimental validation on photon heating calculation for the JHR. NIM-A, 780, p. 68-80 Nuclear heating and nuclear radiation measurement and mapping Combined measurement devices CARMEN-1 N & P

 Improve measurement quality - 4 exp. locations within 3 radial positions  Reduce uncertainty budget - Measurements in Median Plan  Combined Analysis  Enhance Knowledge and predictive capacity  Cross-qualify measurements and analysis methodologies Combined measurement device CARMEN Basics of Combined measurements methodology

Th. n. Flux Fast n. Flux  Flux Nucl. Heat

U235 Pu242 Bi SPND Dif. Calo

Without Rh SPND fiss. deposit G.T.

n « spectrum » adjustment

Th. n-Dos Essential Fast n-Dos.

Reference Secondary measurements D. Fourmentel et al. (2013) : « Mesures neutroniques et photoniques combinées pour la caractérisation des canaux expérimentaux du RJH “ AMU Thesis defended in 2013. I‐SMART : European Project aimed to develop and test advanced solide state sensors & measurement system for selective n‐ detection in Severe Media

I‐SMART system : 3 sub‐systems System designed and 3 2 validated by : 1 •Simulation & Calculation (interpretation, conceptual design, feasibility studies) •Radiation testing and Radiation sources SiC based SiC based innovative Innovative data calibration in experimental (n, ,…) innovative sensor electronics and signal processing facilities processing

• spectroscopic sensor • Silicon Carbide based • Data processing : Tools for • Combines detection capacity for thermal and electronics signal recognition fast neutron as well as  ray • Front end and signal processing • Tools for advanced modeling • Neutron detection based on 10B (3900 barns): Operational amplifier and signal interpretation of SiC 10B + n  7Li + 4He + 2,79 MeV Analog to digital converter spectroscopic detectors. • Designed for High temperature • Numerical simulation of operation radiation interaction with SiC • Proprietary SiC bipolar sensor. analog/mixed‐signal integrated • Capability of simultaneous circuit technology spectroscopic detection of gamma and neutron radiations Why SiC and Diamond for Nuclear Detection ?

Property Si GaN Diamond 4H-SiC Bandgap (eV) 1.12 3.45 5.5 3.27 Break down field (MV cm-1) 0.3 2 10 3 e-hole creation energy (eV) 3.6 8.9 13 7.78 Threshold displacement energy (eV ) 13-20 10-20 40-50 22-35 (W/cm·K) 1.5 1.3 22 4.9

The main advantages of SiC and Diamond :  Wide band gap : low leakage current  High breakdown field : fast response (ns)  High Energy threshold of defect formation : stability versus radiations  High thermal conductivity : no cooling system required  Carbon : good neutron/gamma discrimination  Epitaxial Growth control (for SiC) : low defect concentration Fast Neutron Detection with solid detector

SiC detector  D-T  E =14.1 MeV (90º) (I_SMART project) n  Φ=9.4×106 cm-2s-1

Diamond detector ( type configuration)

SiC : lower intensity (thinner SCR), Si-related peaks Thermal Neutron Detection / Tested @ Minerve ZPR reactor Diamond

SiC detector sCVD Diamond detector 10B (0.23 μm) Collimateur Al (1 μm) (I_SMART project) CIVIDEC( ) (3 mm ×1.6 mm) 6LiF (1.9 μm) 1 ‐ s 2 n/cm

sCVD diamond, 140 μm 8 SiC 9.41×10

= total Φ

SiC Detector :

 Better gamma/neutron discrimination

at 0V (Full Detection) Diamond Detector :

Higher count rate (higher C ) Thermal Neutron Detection / CEA tests (Minerve reactor)

Stability vs fast neutron irradiation (14 MeV, integrated fluence 7×1013 n/cm2)

Stability vs time

Polarization Effect:

Material : Extended Defects

Device : Capacitive Effects SUMMARY

 INTRODUCTION

 Specific features, constraints and requirements

 Examples of radiation measurements and associated instrumentation for : - In Pile Measurements - Radioactive waste characterization and control

 Conclusions and prospects INSTRUMENTATION & MEASUREMENTS IN NUCLEAR MEDIA

 IN PILE INSTRUMENATION AND MEASUREMENT

 MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION FOR NDA MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION FOR NDA MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION FOR NDA MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION FOR NDA MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION FOR NDA MEASUREMENT & INSTRUMENTATION FOR NDA Active Photon Interrogation

SPHINCS counting technique

Time distribution of neutron signal for simultaneous photon & neutron interrogation (Ee = 15 MeV, Cu & Be) 3 He Detectors + CH2 +Cadmium

LINAC

Rad Waste Package

Prompt neutron signal comes from thermal neutron interrogation and delayed neutron signal is mainly due to photofission interrogation ( 95 %) HIGH ENERGY X-RAY IMAGING WITH A LINAC

Mirror CINPHONIE, new CEA’s high energy imaging system

Bremsstrahlung X-ray beam CINPHONIE vs. TRANSEC:  Radiography: 240  faster (40 h  10 min)

LINAC Lead collimator Object  Tomography: 36  faster (waste drum…) (15 h  25 min) Scintillation plate CCD camera

LINAC 9 MeV, 15 Gy/min Up to 2 tons platform Scintillation plate 800x600 mm² Gadox Gd2O2S ; 1.5 mm

N. Estre, D. Eck, J-L. Pettier, E. Payan, C. Roure, E. Simon, High-Energy X-Ray Imaging Applied to Non Destructive Characterization of Large Nuclear Waste Drums, ANIMMA 2013, 23-27 June 2013, Marseille, France. DOI:10.1109/ANIMMA.2013.6727987 CONCLUSIONS

 Important R&D efforts are maintained on instrumentation an measurement dedicated to existing and future Research Reactors (JHR, ZEPHYR…)

 As codes and nuclear data get more and more accurate, nuclear instrumentation should be continuously improved in terms of: - Uncertainties and Precision  Absolut measurements - Reliability to support high fluence (up to 100dpa !) and temperatures - Measuring and Interpretation Processes (online / combined measurements)

 Due to the closing of several irradiation facilities and the disappearance of the associated teams, collaborations are a favoured way for instrumentation developments to be enhanced

 An attention should paid for Nuclear Data which are often not enough developed for instrumentation needs (e. g. charged particles) INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

Mesures CEA échauffement

JSI

Partenariats industriels : 9 JUILLET 2018 | PAGE 38 FINALLY…

Maintain and enhance efforts on Research and Innovation in :

 High temperature measurements (500°C up to 1000°C).  High radiation level measurements  High count rate measurements  Selective radiation measurements n,   Neutron spectrum measurements  Material and electronics hardening  Integrated electronics  Multiplexing  Integration probes  Accurate modeling/calculation tools (nuclear data library “corrections”)  Real time data acquisition  Combined measurements and cross interpretation and analysis  Uncertainties treatment, analysis and reduction  …. TO MEET INTERNATIONAL I&M COMMUNITY…

Created in en 2009 Each 2 years 450 participants 35 nationalities

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“It doesn’t matter how beautiful your theory is,itdoesn’tmatterhowsmartyouare,if doesn’t agree with experiment, it is wrong.” Richard Feynman (1918‐1988)