Full core fuel burnup assessment of the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor using gamma spectroscopy

Z. Boduroglu; A. Kaya; O. Erbay; I. A. Reyhancan; M. S. Kiziltas; T. Akyurek

doi:10.1016/j.net.2025.103941

Full core fuel burnup assessment of the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor using gamma spectroscopy

Z. Boduroglu
, A. Kaya
, O. Erbay
, I. A. Reyhancan
, M. S. Kiziltas
, T. Akyurek^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Energy Institute

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study investigates the burnup distribution of fuel elements in the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor core through gamma spectroscopy using¹³⁷Cs as a burnup indicator. Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) techniques were employed to analyze fuel depletion, utilizing a specialized fuel investigation system installed above the reactor pool. The results indicate that the highest burnup values, exceeding 5 %, were concentrated in the inner core rings (B and C) due to intense neutron flux exposure, while the outer rings (D, E, F) exhibited lower burnup levels. To address this asymmetric distribution, a proposed fuel reshuffling strategy was analyzed, aiming to optimize neutron flux balance and enhance fuel utilization. Also, the strong correlation between¹³⁷Cs activity and burnup values confirms its reliability as a burnup indicator.

Original language	English
Article number	103941
Journal	Nuclear Engineering and Technology
Volume	58
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2025.103941
Publication status	Published - Feb 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Korean Nuclear Society, Published by Elsevier Korea LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Keywords

Experimental burn-up analysis
Fuel elements
NDA method
TRIGA Mark II reactor

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10.1016/j.net.2025.103941

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@article{5e69cf4c857548559c851a1a527c63fe,

title = "Full core fuel burnup assessment of the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor using gamma spectroscopy",

abstract = "This study investigates the burnup distribution of fuel elements in the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor core through gamma spectroscopy using137Cs as a burnup indicator. Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) techniques were employed to analyze fuel depletion, utilizing a specialized fuel investigation system installed above the reactor pool. The results indicate that the highest burnup values, exceeding 5 \%, were concentrated in the inner core rings (B and C) due to intense neutron flux exposure, while the outer rings (D, E, F) exhibited lower burnup levels. To address this asymmetric distribution, a proposed fuel reshuffling strategy was analyzed, aiming to optimize neutron flux balance and enhance fuel utilization. Also, the strong correlation between137Cs activity and burnup values confirms its reliability as a burnup indicator.",

keywords = "Experimental burn-up analysis, Fuel elements, NDA method, TRIGA Mark II reactor",

author = "Z. Boduroglu and A. Kaya and O. Erbay and Reyhancan, \{I. A.\} and Kiziltas, \{M. S.\} and T. Akyurek",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Korean Nuclear Society, Published by Elsevier Korea LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",

year = "2026",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1016/j.net.2025.103941",

language = "English",

volume = "58",

journal = "Nuclear Engineering and Technology",

issn = "1738-5733",

publisher = "Korean Nuclear Society",

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T1 - Full core fuel burnup assessment of the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor using gamma spectroscopy

AU - Boduroglu, Z.

AU - Kaya, A.

AU - Erbay, O.

AU - Reyhancan, I. A.

AU - Kiziltas, M. S.

AU - Akyurek, T.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 Korean Nuclear Society, Published by Elsevier Korea LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - This study investigates the burnup distribution of fuel elements in the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor core through gamma spectroscopy using137Cs as a burnup indicator. Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) techniques were employed to analyze fuel depletion, utilizing a specialized fuel investigation system installed above the reactor pool. The results indicate that the highest burnup values, exceeding 5 %, were concentrated in the inner core rings (B and C) due to intense neutron flux exposure, while the outer rings (D, E, F) exhibited lower burnup levels. To address this asymmetric distribution, a proposed fuel reshuffling strategy was analyzed, aiming to optimize neutron flux balance and enhance fuel utilization. Also, the strong correlation between137Cs activity and burnup values confirms its reliability as a burnup indicator.

AB - This study investigates the burnup distribution of fuel elements in the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor core through gamma spectroscopy using137Cs as a burnup indicator. Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) techniques were employed to analyze fuel depletion, utilizing a specialized fuel investigation system installed above the reactor pool. The results indicate that the highest burnup values, exceeding 5 %, were concentrated in the inner core rings (B and C) due to intense neutron flux exposure, while the outer rings (D, E, F) exhibited lower burnup levels. To address this asymmetric distribution, a proposed fuel reshuffling strategy was analyzed, aiming to optimize neutron flux balance and enhance fuel utilization. Also, the strong correlation between137Cs activity and burnup values confirms its reliability as a burnup indicator.

KW - Experimental burn-up analysis

KW - Fuel elements

KW - NDA method

KW - TRIGA Mark II reactor

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105019204651

U2 - 10.1016/j.net.2025.103941

DO - 10.1016/j.net.2025.103941

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105019204651

SN - 1738-5733

VL - 58

JO - Nuclear Engineering and Technology

JF - Nuclear Engineering and Technology

IS - 2

M1 - 103941

ER -

Full core fuel burnup assessment of the ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor using gamma spectroscopy

Abstract

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Keywords

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