spent fuel- comments

[Lester.Slaback@nist.gov]

First quibble - once fuel has seen 1 neutron it is now 'spent'. So
obviously the question is how spent.

Second: many non-power reactors, NPRs (i.e., research reactors) are low
power andeven after years of use contact dose rates are a few to a few
tens of mrem/h.  So obviously there is an underlying presumption of
MW-days of usage related to the presumed dose rate. Also take care that
you are using the MW-days for that element and not that for the core or
for a 'typical'  element since fuel burnup can vary in well used fuel from
a few percent to 70+% (among different reactors, not among elements in one
core unless it is a core of a very peculiar design).

Also I suspect that after 10 years the fuel construction might be a
significant factor.  S.S. clad fuel is certainly different from aluminum
clad fuel in this regard.

So there must be some very specific qualifications related to the 320
rad/h number.

-- 
the above are the personal musing of the author,
and do not represent any past, current, or future
position of NIST, the U.S. Government, or anyone else
who might think that they are in a position of authority.
NBSR Health Physics
NIST
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
301 975-5810
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Lester.Slaback@nist.gov
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