Márton Balaskó

Dynamic neutron radiography instrumentation and applications in Central Europe

Abstract Characteristic features of simultaneous dynamic neutron and gamma radiography installations built in the last ten years at the Budapest/Hungary and at the Seibersdorf/Austria research reactors are surveyed. For image detection scintillation detectors and a low-light level television camera with video output are used, thereby providing the possibility for visualizing medium speed movements inside the investigated object. The radiography stations have been used for inspecting industrial products, with the aim of research and development.

Interaction of Failed Fuel Rods Under Air Ingress Conditions

Abstract In the late phase of a severe reactor accident, the molten corium interacts with the vessel wall, and it can lead to the failure of the lower head. Through the failed bottom wall, part of the corium can flow into the cavity, and air can enter the primary circuit. The residual fuel in the core periphery will be further oxidized in air atmosphere. The degradation process will accelerate, and new chemical species will be formed, which can have an impact on the release of radioactive materials. Two experiments were carried out with electrically heated nine-rod pressurized water reactor-type bundles in the CODEX (COre Degradation EXperiment) facility to provide experimental data on the behavior of real fuel bundles under air oxidation conditions. The main objective of the tests was the investigation of oxidation phenomena, and some other important aspects (e.g., enhanced fission product release) were not addressed. The CODEX air ingress tests indicated the acceleration of oxidation phenomena and core degradation processes during the late phase of the vessel melt through accident, when air can have access to the residual fuel bundles in the reactor core. The degradation process was accompanied with zirconium-nitride formation and release of uranium-rich aerosols.

A novel type epithermal neutron radiography detecting and imaging system

Abstract The transfer technique is widely used for epithermal neutron radiography (ENR) for making images upon the object to be investigated. We propose to use instead of the photosensitive film a gamma sensitive scintillation screen (NaCe single crystal), that is monitored by a computer controlled low light level TV camera. The exposure time has been reduced to a duration of only a short fraction of that needed for the conventional transfer process. The presented ENR images consist of electronic signals that are handled by an advanced image processing and analyzing program, the Iman 1.4 version, using a task oriented video grabber.

Behavior of VVER Fuel Rods Tested Under Severe Accident Conditions in the CODEX Facility

The early phase of severe accidents in VVER reactors was simulated in the CODEX (COre Degradation EXperiment) facility with electrically heated fuel rod bundles. The selected test conditions and applied measurement techniques made possible the observation of some specific phenomena, such as the protective role of oxide scale during quenching of high-temperature bundles, the composition of gases produced during the oxidation of boron-carbide control rods, and the interlink between the aerosol release and the oxidation process. The general behavior of the VVER bundles did not differ significantly from that of the Western-design light water reactor bundles tested under similar high-temperature conditions, but the experiments emphasized that the application of VVER-specific material properties and models is essential for comprehensive numerical simulations.

A distribution pattern of cadmium, gadolinium and samarium in Phaseolus vulgaris (L) plants as assessed by dynamic neutron radiography

Abstract The qualitative and semi-quantitative distributions, presumably apoplast transport patterns for the Gd, Sm and Cd were investigated in the primordial leaf tissues of the bean using dynamic neutron radiography. According to the applied 3D, 2D images and the pixel count distribution histograms of the considered gray levels, peculiar distribution patterns were postulated for the elements. Main and lateral vascular systems for Gd, the cell walls as well as intercellular spaces for Sm and the main leaf vein for Cd assumed to be the apoplast transport spaces and volumes.

Reconstruction of pixel-based and geometric objects by discrete tomography. Simulation and physical experiments

Tomography is an imaging technique to reconstruct cross-sections of objects from projection images in a non-destructive way. We have implemented two discrete tomographic (DT) reconstruction methods. The first method is general in the sense that the objects to be reconstructed are represented by pixels, and in this way the method can be used for reconstructing any shape. The second one is able to reconstruct objects consisting of cylinders and spheres made of homogeneous materials only. Simulation and physical experiments connected with non-destructive testing by X-rays were performed, and the results are presented.