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DCVD - Nuclear Fuel Safeguards Imaging
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 The Challenge:
Inspectors for the nuclear industry are responsible in part for the regulation of nuclear substances to ensure radioactive materials are not being diverted for illicit purposes. Spent nuclear fuel emits a faint ultraviolet Cerenkov light when gamma rays from fuel assemblies interact with water in the cooling ponds. However, obtaining accurate images and measurements of spent fuel using non-destructive methods poses many challenges.
The Solution:
The DCVD-ES is the newest generation device for non-intrusive inspection and verification of spent nuclear fuel. The DCVD is a simple and highly-effective instrument that offers real-time display and capture of digital images for analysis and comparison. This unique instrument provides international inspectors with an effective tool to differentiate irradiated fuel items from non-fuel items, and verifies spent fuel with low burn-up or long cooling times.
The Tools Used:
Digital Cerenkov Viewing Device (UV imaging)
Custom UV transmitting lens
Custom railing bracket assembly
Integrated tablet computer
Imaging software with graphical user interface
The Difference It Made:
The DCVD-ES is more sensitive and has a higher resolution than other systems, which means it can verify spent fuel up to 40 years cooled, and can detect missing rods in assemblies to expose whether materials are possibly being diverted for non-peaceful purposes. Images are displayed in real-time to enable inspectors to verify spent fuel immediately, and can also be stored for future retrieval and use.
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Colour-Enhanced Images of Spent Fuel Assemblies |
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