Radial density distribution in irradiated FBR MOX fuel pellets

Ishimi, Akihiro ; Katsuyama, Kozo ; Nakamura, Hirofumi ; Asaka, Takeo; Furuya, Hirotaka

A high resolution X-ray CT technique was developed, which made it possible to obtain fine X-ray CT images of an irradiated fuel assembly. In addition, the density distributions in the irradiated MOX fuel pellet could be continually measured, using the relationship between the densities and CT values. These results were compared to the one obtained by metallographical method. As results, it was found that the relative change of radial density distributions in the irradiated fuel pellet can be measured more accurately by the X-ray CT technique than by the metallographical examination.