Skip to main content
Log in

Exploring the reactor heat problem: Study of the beta decay of 104,105Tc using the TAS technique

  • Published:
The European Physical Journal Special Topics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

The decay heat of fission products plays an important role in predictions of the heat up of nuclear fuel in reactors. The released energy is calculated as the summation of the activities of all fission products \(P(t) =\sum E_i\lambda_iN_i(t)\), where Ei is the decay energy of nuclide i, λi is the decay constant of nuclide i and Ni(t) is the number of nuclide i at cooling time t. Even though the reproduction of the measured decay heat has improved in recent years, there is still a long standing discrepancy in the t ∼1000 s cooling time for some fuels. A possible explanation to this improper description has been found in the work of Yoshida et al [1], where it has been shown that the incomplete knowledge of the β-decay of some Tc isotopes can be the source of the systematic discrepancy. Motivated by [1], we have recently measured the β-decay process of some Tc isotopes using a total absorption spectrometer at the IGISOL facility in Jyväskylä. The results of the measurements as well as the their consequences on summation calculations are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • T. Yoshida, T. Tachibana, F. Storrer, K. Oyamatsu, J. Katakura, J. Nucl. Sci. Technol. 36, 135 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  • A.L. Nichols, FJ/OH Summer School, 2000, and references therein

  • J.C. Hardy, L.C. Carraz, B. Jonson, P.G. Hansen, Phys. Lett. B 71, 307 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Cano-Ott, Ph.D. thesis, University of Valencia, 2000; J.L. Tain, D. Cano-Ott (submitted to NIM A)

  • J. Blachot, Nucl. Data Sheets 64, 1 (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Sonzogni (private communication)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Algora, A., Taín, J., Perez, A. et al. Exploring the reactor heat problem: Study of the beta decay of 104,105Tc using the TAS technique. Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 150, 383–384 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2007-00353-x

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2007-00353-x

PACS.

Navigation