LEPRICON Analysis of Pressure Vessel Surveillance Dosimetry Inserted into H. B. Robinson-2 during Cycle 9

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Abstract
A second example of applying the LEPRICON methodology to an existing pressurized water reactor is described. The present application is an analysis of ad hoc dosimetry inserted into the H. B. Robinson-2 reactor to monitor the effects on pressure vessel fluence produced by the introduction of a low-leakage fuel management scheme during cycle 9. The use of the simultaneous dosimetry at both a downcomer location and in the reactor cavity allowed a quantitative evaluation to be made by the LEPRICON procedure of the relative merits of each location. Unfolded results using the dosimetry indicate that the cumulative neutron fluence above 1 MeV originally calculated for the critical lower circumferential weld of the pressure vessel during cycle 9, 7.2 × 1017 n/cm2± 15.9%, should be adjusted upward by about one standard deviation to a value of 8.8 × 1017 n/cm2 with a reduced uncertainty of 10.9%.