Development of advanced PIE technique for fuel debris using X-Ray computer tomography

Katsuyama, Kozo ; Ishimi, Akihiro ; Tanaka, Kosuke  ; Kihara, Yoshiyuki

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, a feasibility study on the application of X-ray CT technique for observation of the inner condition of the fuel debris was initiated. First, a preliminary test was performed using a dummy specimen of irradiated fuel pellets, which was heated to 2373 K. As a result, we obtained high resolution X-ray CT images in which the small pieces of fuel pellets could be clearly distinguished from one another. Analyzing these X-ray CT images enables us to know the density distribution of the fuel debris.