Method and apparatus for magnetically determining the Gd{hd 2{b O{HD 3 {B content in UO{HD 2 {B fuel pellets while eliminating the effect of ferromagnetic impurities

摘要

A method and apparatus for magnetically determining the Gd2O3 content in UO2 fuel pellets is described. The alternating current susceptibility of fuel pellets within a zircalloy cladding is measured using an ac inductive technique. Ferromagnetic impurity moments are saturated with a direct current magnetic field. Susceptibility increases with increasing Gd2O3 content when the ferromagnetic component is saturated in fields above 6 kOe.