Feasibility study of in-sodium imaging technique employing -ray emission

Otaka, Masahiko; Hirabayashi, Masaru; Ara, Kuniaki 

In order to enhance the maintenance performance of Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR), a novel in-sodium imaging technique was proposed for monitoring a deformation or a displacement of in-sodium components or assemblies in primary cooling systems. This technique based on computed tomography using high-energy gamma photons emitted from radioisotopes of sodium (22Na, 24Na) in the primary coolant. Feasibility studies have been performed in order to explore the applicability to typical piping (or vessels). Preliminary analyses exploring measuring time and imaging capability were performed. The results showed that the proposed technique was feasible as a monitoring system of in-sodium components.