Fission Spectrum Averaged Cross Sections of Some Threshold Reactions Measured with Fast Reactor “YAYOI”

Abstract

Fission spectrum averaged cross sections of twenty one threshold reactions were measured in the core center of YAYOI which was a fast neutron source reactor. Fast neutron spectrum in the core was experimentally determined by using a set of activation foils and micro-fission counters, prior to the cross section measurement. It was found that the shape of the fast neutron spectrum was approximately the same as that of fission neutrons above about 2MeV. This fact was also supported by theoretical calculation.

Since this neutron field has scarce thermal and epithermal neutrons, measurement of nuclei produced by threshold reactions is not affected by (n, γ) reactions which are induced by thermal and epithermal neutrons. Moreover, considerably high fast neutron flux (about 5 x 10¹¹n/cm²·sec) enables to measure cross sections of small values.

The results in general agreed with the previous values obtained in a reactor core or with a fission plate within an experimental error, while they were systematically smaller by about 10% than those recommended by Fabry. The measured values are also compared with the results calculated by Pearlstein based on a statistical model.     

A Two-Dimensional Benchmark Experiment for Neutron Transport in Water

For the purpose of providing standard data for checking two-dimensional neutron penetration calculations, fast neutron spectra as well as thermal and epithermal neutron fluxes were measured over a two-dimensional (R, Z) space in water shield using an activation method. Threshold reaction rates were converted to fast neutron scalar flux spectra with the aid of the SAND-II code. These results agree within a factor of 2 with the calculations by a two-dimensional discrete ordinates code PALLAS-2D. Thermal and epithermal neutron fluxes obtained with the Westcott's method agree quite well with the calculated values by the PALLAS-2D code in which the diffusion equation was adopted for dealing with low energy neutrons to reduce the computing time. All experimental results are given in the absolute values.     

Radiation Field for Fission Neutron Enhanced Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Employing Fast Neutron Source Reactor “YAYOI”

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) of a localized tumor needs a sufficient thermal neutron flux at the tumor. A surgical operation including ennucleation of the main part of tumor is required for the case of thermal neutron beam from a thermal reactor because of the rapid decrease of the neutron flux in the tissue. Intermediate neutrons with little fast neutron component are only produced by a specifically designed reactor which awaits to be build.

In the present paper, a positive use of fast neutron beams in addition to BNCT is proposed for treatment of some kind of localized tumors employing a fission fast neutrons from a fast neutron source reactor “YAYOI” of University of Tokyo which is licenced as such. Dose distributions in a water phantom located at a proposed position for two collimator cases were measured and its availability was confirmed as a possible port for therapy.     

Design of the thermal neutron beam for neutron radiography at the Syrian MNSR

Neutron beam design was studied at the Syrian reactor (MNSR, 30 kW) with a view to generating thermal neutron beam in the vertical irradiation sites for neutron radiography. The design of the neutron collimator was performed using MCNP4C and the ENDF/B-V cross-section library. Thermal, epithermal and fast neutron energy ranges were selected as <0.4 eV, 0.4 eV–10 keV, >10 keV, respectively. To produce a good neutron beam quality, bismuth was used as photon filter. In this design, the L/D ratio of this facility had the value of 125. The thermal neutron flux at the beam exit was about 2.548 × 10⁵ n/cm² s. If such neutron beam were built into the Syrian MNSR many scientific applications would be available using the neutron radiography.     

Monte Carlo optimization of an epithermal neutron flux monitor for BNCT

An epithermal neutron (0.5 eV < E_n < 10 keV) flux monitor developed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was optimized by Monte Carlo simulations. Based on this optimization study, the optimization results for each component of the epithermal neutron flux monitor were obtained. The simulation results indicated that the epithermal neutron flux monitor with optimal configuration was more efficiently applicable to precisely measure the epithermal neutron fluxes of BNCT neutron sources.     

Neutron flux determination in irradiation sites of an Am–Be neutron source at NNRI

Neutron flux measurements and flux distribution parameters for two irradiation sites of an Am–Be neutron source irradiator were measured by using gold (Au), zirconium (Zr) and aluminum (Al) foils. thermal neutron flux Φ_th = 1.46 × 10⁴ n cm⁻² s⁻¹ ± 0.01 × 10², epithermal neutron flux Φ_epi = 7.23 × 10² n cm⁻² s⁻¹ ± 0.001, fast neutron flux Φ_f = 1.26 × 10² n cm⁻² s⁻¹ ± 0.020, thermal-to-epithermal flux ratio f = 20.5 ± 0.36 and epithermal neutron shaping factor α = −0.239 ± 0.003 were found for irradiation Site-1; while the thermal neutron flux Φ_th = 4.45 × 10³ n cm⁻² s⁻¹ ± 0.06, the epithermal neutron Φ_epi = 1.50 × 10² n cm⁻² s¹ ± 0.003, the fast neutron flux Φ_f = 1.17 × 10 n cm⁻² s⁻¹ ± 0.011, thermal-to-epithermal flux ratio f = 29.6 ± 0.94, and epithermal neutron shaping factor α = 0.134 ± 0.001 were found for irradiation Site-2. It was concluded that the Am–Be neutron source can be used for neutron activation analysis (NAA). The Am–Be source can be used for neutron activation analysis thereby reducing the burden on GHARR-1 and increasing the research output of the nation.     

医院中子照射器物理启动

医院中子照射器是专门用于硼中子俘获治疗的核装置。在堆芯相对两侧,设有热中子束流和超热中子束流用于治疗,另外,在热中子束流内引出1条热中子束流用于病人血硼浓度测量。本文介绍其物理启动的6个实验,实验结果表明：满功率最大运行时间为12 h,最终后备反应性为4.2 mk,满功率运行时各工艺房间辐射水平满足设计辐射分区要求,4.2 mk反应性释放实验证明医院中子照射器具有固有安全特性。     

A Method of Isotopic Ratio Determination of Uranium by Ge(Li) Detector

The effect of the presence of a reentrant hole for extracting the neutron beam from within experimental systems of two different geometries is analyzed theoretically with use made of multi-group 2- dimensional discrete S_n method without resorting to bold assumptions for neutron transport nor drastic simplification of geometry. One of the two experimental systems is a rectangular light water prism 12 cm high of 40 × 40 cm² cross section, poisoned with Cd and/or In, and provided with a 1, 2 or 3 cm diameter reentrant hole. The other system is a 1″ thick natural uranium plate sandwiched between two layers of pure light water, each 4.6 cm thick, which also is provided with a 1cm diameter reentrant hole.

The following is concluded by comparing the angular neutron flux with and without the reentrant holes. With the first experimental system, perturbations of the order 10～25% is caused, which is particularly strong below about 0.3 eV, except when the hole diameter is 1cm. The perturbation effect increases as the reentrant hole becomes larger in diameter and shallower in depth. In the case of the second experimental system, the effect results in about 2% increase of the neutron flux at the bottom of the reentrant hole when the bottom is located in the natural uranium plate. On the other hand, if the bottom is in the light water region, the neutron flux is reduced by about 2～4% at the peak of the thermal neutron spectra.     

Design calculation of an epithermal neutronic beam for BNCT at the Syrian MNSR using the MCNP4C code

This article describes the design calculation of an epithermal neutronic beam for the boron neutron capture therapy at the Syrian MNSR by using the MCNP4C code and ENDF/B-V cross-section library. To produce a high flux of epithermal neutrons at the beam exit, the moderator/filter from Al, Cd, Fluental and Bi was used with Pb as reflector for neutrons along the beam. In addition, the Bi lined collimator with Li₂CO₃-PE and Pb at the end. The calculated beam parameters under 30.0 kW of reactor power at the beam exit are Ф_epi = 2.83 × 10⁸ n/cm² s, D_f/Ф_epi = 7.98 × 10⁻¹¹ cGy cm²/n, D_γ/Ф_epi = 1.70 × 10⁻¹¹ cGy cm²/n, Φ_epi/Φ_the = 0.05 and J_n⁺/Ф_n = 0.77. As well as, the calculated values of the advantage depth and advantage ratio are 7.51 cm and 3.49, respectively. If such beam was built into the Syrian MNSR the scientific applications of the reactor would increase.     

能谱变化对239Pu裂变室测量快中子注量的影响

热中子和共振区的中子在快中子临界装置中所占的份额很小,但是由于其相对大的截面,在慢化物存在的情况下,热中子和共振中子份额的微小变化,对^239Pu裂变室测量中子注量的结果影响很大。通过测量^239Pu裂变电离室在包镉和包硼、周围有无慢化物等情况下的反应率,Au、In活化片的镉比,S活化片在能谱变化下与^239。Pu的反应率比等,分析了快中子临界装置中热中子和共振区中子的分布,讨论了中子能谱变化对^239Pu裂变室测量快中子注量的影响及解决办法。     

Effect of burnup on the neutronic parameters of ITU TRIGA Mark II research reactor

This study aims to estimate burnup of the fuel elements for the Istanbul Technical University TRIGA Mark II Research and Training Reactor using a Monte Carlo-based burnup-depletion code. Effect of burnup on the core neutronic parameters, effective core multiplication factor, fast/epithermal/thermal neutron fluxes, and core-average neutron spectrum, and incoming neutron spectrum of the piercing beam port (PBP), is investigated at the Beginning of Life (BOL) and End of Life (EOL). Operational data peculiar to a selected operation sequence, which contains positions of CRs, power level of the reactor, material temperatures and latest core map, are used to determine the current fuel burnup of fuel elements at the time under consideration. A specific operation sequence is selected for the analysis. Furthermore, all control rods are considered fully withdrawn to assess the excess reactivity. Results are obtained using MONTEBURNS2 with ENDFB/V-II.1 neutron/photon library for a full power of 250 kW. Neutron cross-section libraries at the full-power operating temperatures are generated using NJOY. From the results, the calculated burnup values of the core at the sequence considered and EOL are found to be 420 MWh and 560 MWh, respectively. Remaining excess reactivity is calculated to be less than 0.3 $. It is observed that core average thermal neutron flux reduces by 1 % while the fast and epithermal neutron fluxes remain almost unchanged.     

Neutron Economy of Transmutation of TRU in Thermal and Fast Neutron Fields

Neutron economy of the transmutation of TRU was examined in well thermalized, thermal and fast neutron fields. Burn-up chains of ²³⁷Np, ²⁴¹Am and ²⁴³Am, which are the main TRU nuclides in the high level waste, were calculated in the flux region from 10¹⁴ to 10¹⁷ n/cm².s. Numbers of neutrons absorbed and produced of each chain were calculated using JENDL-3. The net number of neutron produced n _net, which was obtained by the difference of the two numbers, largely varied with the neutron fields, the nuclides and the flux levels. The n _net value in the fast neutron field was positive (0.0–1.0) for ²³⁷Np, ²⁴¹Am, ²⁴³Am and TRU with the nuclide composition in the high-level waste generated by the conventional PWR. The transmutation of TRU by fission can be performed with producing neutrons in the fast neutron field. On the other hand, the n _net value was negative for the well thermalized and thermal neutron fields. For TRU in the high-level waste, the values in those fields were —1.0 at 10¹⁴ n/cm².s and 0.0 at 10¹⁶ n/cm².s. In the high flux region of 10¹⁶ n/cm².s, TRU in the high-level waste can be transmuted by fission without consuming additional neutrons. In the flux region about 10¹⁴ n/cm².s, the transmutation of TRU in the high-level waste by fission requires about one neutron.     

Neutron beam design for both medical neutron capture therapy and industrial neutron radiography for TRIGA reactor

Neutron beam designs were studied for TRIGA reactor with a view to generating thermal, epithermal and fast neutron beams for both medical neutron capture therapy (NCT) and industrial neutron radiography (NR). The beams are delivered from thermal and thermalizing columns, and also horizontal beam hole. Several prospective neutron filters (high-density graphite (G), bismuth (Bi), single-crystal silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), aluminum fluoride (AlF₃) and lead fluoride (PbF₂)) were examined for obtaining sufficiently intense neutron beam for various applications. Monte Carlo calculations indicated that with a suitable neutron filter arrangement, thermal and epithermal neutron beams attaining 2×10⁹ and 7×10⁸ n cm⁻²S⁻¹, respectively, could be obtainable from thermal and thermalizing columns with the reactor operating at 100 kW. These neutron beams could be adopted for boron neutron capture therapy. Compared with these columns, horizontal beam port would deliver neutron fluxes of 10⁻² 10⁻³ lower intensity, but produced thermal and neutron beams would be adequate for different application of nondestructive inspection by neutron radiography.     

Evaluation of neutron beam characteristics for D-BNCT01 facility

An accelerator-based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy （AB-BNCT） experimental facility called D-BNCT01 has been recently completed and is currently able to generate a high-intensity neutron beam for BNCT-related research.In this study,we perform several experiments involving water phantoms to validate the Monte Carlo simulation results and analyze the neutron beam characteristics.According to our measurements,D-BNCT01 can generate a neutron flux about 1.2×10⁸n/cm²/s at the beam...     

Characteristics of Neutron Guide Tubes in Upgraded JRR-3

Abstract

The JRR-3 has been upgraded to be a new high performance research reactor JRR-3M with neutron guide tubes on a large scale and a cold neutron source. The neutron fluxes and spectra were measured at the end of the two thermal and three cold neutron guide tubes. The gain of the cold neutron source is also found from these spectra. The neutron fluxes of thermal neutron guide tubes with characteristic wavelength 2 Å are 1.2x10⁸ n/cm².s at a reactor power of 20 MW. The neutron fluxes of cold guide tubes are 2.0x 10⁸ n/cm².s with characteristic wavelength 4 Å and 1.4x10⁸ n/cm².s with 6 A when the cold neutron source is operated. The neutron spectra measured by the time-of-flight method agree well with their designed ones. The gains of the cold neutron source are 8 for 4 Å and 20 for 6 Å at a reactor power of 20 MW.     

医院中子照射器中子束流出口处热中子注量率的测量

医院中子照射器是基于微型反应堆而设计的专门用于硼中子俘获治疗（BNCT）的核反应堆装置,其额定功率为30 kW。在堆芯相对两侧分别设有一条热中子束流和超热中子束流用于病人照射,在热中子束流内引出一条实验用热中子束流,用于瞬发γ法测量病人血硼浓度。本工作利用²³⁵U裂变靶和白云母探测片测量了热、超热和实验用热中子束流出口处的热中子绝对注量率。结果显示,在30 kW额定功率运行时,热、超热和实验用热中子束流出口处的热中子注量率分别为1.67×10⁹、2.44×10⁷和3.03×10⁶ cm^-2•s^-1。以上结果达到了BNCT设计要求,并能满足瞬发γ测量血硼浓度的要求。     

医院中子照射器反应堆实验研究

医院中子照射器是专用于硼中子俘获治疗的核装置,所用反应堆功率为30 kW,采用~(235)U富集度为12.5%的UO_2为燃料,金属铍反射层,轻水为慢化剂和冷却剂.堆芯产生的热量靠自然循环冷却.在反应堆堆芯相对两侧分别设置了热中子束流和超热中子束流,用于治疗患者.在微堆零功率实验装置上,完成了临界质量、控制棒效率、上铍反射层效率及其它部件反应性的测量,确定了最终燃料元件的装载,为工程物理启动提供实验数据.     

Investigation of thermal neutron scattering data for BeF2 and LiF crystals

The influences of thermal neutron scattering data for BeF₂ and LiF crystals on molten salt reactor physics are investigated in this work. Based on the structure parameters of BeF₂ and LiF, the coherent scattering for both crystals is added to NJOY source code. The ENDF6 format thermal neutron scattering sub-libraries for both crystals are evaluated with their phonon spectra using LEAPR; the ACE format data are produced by NJOY subsequently. Finally, the effect of thermal neutron scattering of BeF₂ and LiF crystals on k _eff and spectrum are investigated. The result shows that thermal neutron scattering for bound state of BeF₂ and LiF influence k _eff and spectrum obviously. The elastic scattering cross section for bound state of crystals is smaller than free atom; it makes k _eff decrease (1%–2%) and spectra be hardened. The higher temperature the bound state has, the smaller coherent elastic scattering cross section it gets; therefore, k _eff decreases with temperature. It is suggested that the thermal neutron data of LiF and BeF₂ should be taken into account for molten salt reactor.     

On the Cf primary and secondary gamma rays and epithermal neutron flux for BNCT

Monte Carlo simulation has been used to calculate the different components of neutrons and secondary gamma rays originated by ²⁵²Cf fission and also the primary gamma rays emitted directly by the ²⁵²Cf source at the exit face of a compact system designed for the BNCT. The system consists of a ²⁵²Cf source and a moderator/reflector/filter assembly. To study the material properties and configuration possibilities, the MCNP code has been used. The moderator/reflector/filter arrangement is optimised to moderate neutrons to epithermal energy and, as far as possible, to get rid of fast and thermal neutrons and photons from the therapeutic beam. To reduce the total gamma contamination and to have a sufficiently high epithermal neutron flux we have used different photon filters of different thickness. Our analysis showed that the use of an appropriate filter leads to a gamma ray flux reduction without affecting the epithermal neutron beam quality at the exit face of the system.     

基于加速器的硼中子俘获治疗装置束流整形体的设计及其临床参数研究

在硼中子俘获治疗（BNCT）中,束流整形体是BNCT装置产生高品质中子束的关键部件之一,其设计至关重要。本文基于25 MeV质子打锂靶产生中子的过程,对加速器驱动的BNCT中子源的束流整形体进行了可行性方案设计,研究了慢化体厚度差异对出口束流品质、头部模型中的剂量分布和临床参数等方面的影响。研究表明,可行性方案设计在30 mA质子束流驱动下,可达到IAEA对束流品质的要求;在本文3种慢化体厚度设计下,随着慢化体厚度的增加,出口超热中子束流强度减小,快中子份额减小,进一步导致优势深度变浅,正常组织最大剂量率减小,治疗时间变长。