Ion-induced electron emission – monitoring the structure transitions in graphite

The temperature dependence of ion-induced electron emission yield γ under 30 keV Ar⁺ ion impacts at incidence angles θ = 0−80° under dynamically steady-state conditions has been measured for polygranular graphite POCO-AXF-5Q. The fluencies were 10¹⁸–10¹⁹ ion/cm², the temperatures varied from the room temperature (RT) to 400 °C. The RHEED has shown that same diffraction patterns correspond to a high degree of disorder at RT. At high temperature (HT), some patterns have been found similar to those for the initial graphite surfaces. The dependence γ(T) has been found to be non-monotonic and for normal and near normal ion incidence manifests a step-like increase typical for a radiation induced phase transition. At oblique and grazing incidence (θ > 30°), a broad peak was found at T_p = 100 °C. An analysis based on the theory of kinetic ion-induced electron emission connects the behavior of γ(θ,T) to the dependence of both secondary electron path length λ and primary ion ionizing path length R_e on lattice structure that drastically changes due to damage annealing.     

钍基熔盐堆燃料循环与启动策略研究

研究了熔盐燃料在堆内外循环以及考虑特殊核素的添加、提取等在线处理过程的熔盐堆燃耗计算模型,在多功能组件计算程序SONG的基础上开发了相应的燃料循环计算功能并进行了初步验证。在此基础上,分别针对氧化铍慢化的热谱熔盐堆和无慢化的快谱熔盐堆进行计算,并根据堆芯反应性长期稳定的基本要求,分析了利用²³³U和工业Pu启动熔盐堆时配套的在线处理方案以及相应的易裂变核添加要求。通过对核素添加、提取以及燃料内核密度的平衡计算,分析了不同的在线处理方案与启动策略对钍-铀燃料循环效率的影响,并据此提出了初步的熔盐堆燃料循环技术路线。结果表明：压水堆乏燃料提取的工业Pu较²³³U更适宜用于钍铀燃料循环启动,因工业Pu启动的快谱熔盐堆的²³³U产率明显高于²³³U启动熔盐堆,而当有了足够的²³³U积累后,²³³U启动的热谱熔盐堆是更好的选择,因其燃料倍增时间更短且燃料初装量也小得多。     

Co γ-ray irradiation effects on dielectric characteristics of tin oxide films of different thicknesses on n-type Si(1 1 1) substrates

We have tried to determine the effects of ⁶⁰Co gamma irradiation on properties of Au/SnO₂/n-Si (MOS) structures such as dielectric constant (ε′), dielectric loss (ε″), tangent loss (tan δ) and ac conductivity (σ_ac). Three samples were fabricated with different deposition time. The samples were irradiated using a ⁶⁰Co γ-ray source irradiation with the total dose range of 0–500 kGy at room temperature. Capacitance and conductance (C–G–V) measurements were performed at a frequency of 500 kHz in the dark and at room temperature before and after irradiation. The experimental data were analyzed using complex permittivity and electric modulus. The values of ε′, ε″, tan δ and σ_ac showed a strong dependence on the applied voltage and irradiation dose. The dielectric properties of MOS structures have been found to be strongly influenced by the presence of dominant radiation-induced defects. Experimental results show that the interfacial polarization contributes to the improvement of dielectric properties of Au/SnO₂/n-Si (MOS) Schottky diodes.     

Preliminary study on feasibility of large and small water cooled thorium breeder reactor in equilibrium states

Fuel breeding is one of the essential performances for a self-sustaining reactor system which can maintains the fuel sustainability while the reactor produces energy and consumes the fissile materials during operation. Thorium cycle shows some advantageous on higher breeding characteristics in thermal neutron spectrum region as shown in the Shippingport reactor and molten salt breeder reactor (MSBR) project. In the present study, the feasibility of large and small water cooled thorium breeder reactors is investigated under equilibrium conditions where the reactors are fueled by ²³³U–Th oxide and they adopts light water coolant as moderator. The key properties such as required enrichment, breeding capability, and initial fissile inventory are evaluated. The conversion ratio and fissile inventory ratio (FIR) are used for evaluating breeding performance. The results show the feasibility of breeding for small and large reactors. The breeding performance increases with increasing power output and lower power density. The small reactor may achieve the breeding condition when the fuel pellets' power density of about 22.5 W/cm³ and burnup of about 20 GWd/t.     

液态熔盐热堆燃料管理方法研究与分析

为研究液态熔盐热堆的燃料管理性能,需解决复杂堆芯结构的均匀化、燃料的混合及在线后处理3个问题。本文基于确定论程序DRAGON5与DONJON5,开发了液态熔盐热堆的燃料管理程序LMSR,并进行了验证。使用LMSR对液态熔盐热堆进行计算与分析,结果显示使用²³⁵U与²³⁸U启堆,加入燃料为²³²Th与²³³U条件下,后处理提取重金属的效率至少需要90%。此外,为维持堆芯有效增殖因数在1.0～1.005之间,加入的燃料中²³³U平均等效质量富集度在40%附近。     

Highly enriched isotopes of uranium and transuranium elements for scientific investigation

The paper describes the production of highly enriched isotopes of uranium, plutonium, americium and curium by means of electromagnetic separation for scientific and applied research in physics, chemistry, geology and other fields. The equipment and radiochemical methods used allows to provide the isotopic pure samples in quantities sufficient to set up nuclear physics experiments, to produce reference materials and standard sources for calibration of radiometrical and mass spectrometrical equipment and for use in radionuclear metrology. For a series of nuclei unique characteristics of isotopic enrichment and radiochemical and chemical purity were achieved: ²³³U: 99.97%; ²³⁵U: 99.97%; ²³⁶U: 98.0%; ²³⁸U: 99.997%; ²³⁸Pu: 99.6%; ²³⁹Pu: 99.9977%; ²⁴⁰Pu: 99.9–100%; ²⁴¹Pu: 96.998%; ²⁴²Pu: 97.8–99.96%; ²⁴⁴Pu: 96.7%; ²⁴¹Am: 99.6%; ^242mAm: 85.6%; ²⁴³Am: 99.2–99.94%; ²⁴³Cm: 99.99%; ²⁴⁵Cm: 99.998%; ²⁴⁶Cm: 99.8%; ²⁴⁷Cm: 90%; ²⁴⁸Cm: 97%. Methods of radiochemical and chemical separation, product certification, fabrication of special sources or targets and layers of highly enriched isotopes on various substrates are presented.     

中子能谱对压水堆慢化剂温度系数的影响分析

在压水堆中,水铀比和²³⁵U富集度是影响中子能谱分布的重要参数。本工作在不同水铀比、²³⁵U富集度下分析两群中子能谱随燃耗的变化。利用中子能谱分布对慢化剂温度系数的变化进行分析,结果表明：在给定²³⁵U富集度条件下,随着水铀比的变化,堆芯存在一慢化剂温度系数绝对值最大值;²³⁵U富集度的增加、燃耗的加深,不一定导致慢化剂温度系数绝对值增大。     

Diamagnetic measurement on HT-7 superconducting tokamak

Diamagnetic measurement is a basic diagnostics on tokamak. Some important plasma parameters such as plasma energy and betap β_p can be obtained from this measurement. For most case, diamagnetic flux ΔΦ is extremely smaller than toroidal flux Φ (ΔΦ/Φ − 10⁻⁴). Therefore we have to use techniques that allow measurement to better than 1 part in 104 to get 10% accuracy in value of β_p. Using a compensation coil is a typical technique to improve the signal to noise ratio. In this paper the design of diamagnetic diagnostics system for HT-7 superconducting tokamak device is introduced and some experimental results of plasma energy and β_p are given in different plasma discharges.     

The simultaneous neutron and photon interrogation method for fissile and non-fissile element separation in radioactive waste drums

Measuring -emitters such as (^{234,235,236,238}U, ^{238,239,240,242,244}Pu, ²³⁷Np, ^241,243Am, …), in solid radioactive waste allows us to quantify the -activity in a drum and then to classify it. The simultaneous photon and neutron interrogation experiment (SIMPHONIE) method dealt with in this paper, combines both active neutron interrogation and induced photofission interrogation techniques simultaneously. Its purpose is to quantify fissile (²³⁵U, ^239,241Pu, …) and non-fissile (^236,238U, ^238,240Pu, …) elements separately in only one measurement. This paper presents the principle of the method, the experimental setup, and the first experimental results obtained using the DGA/ETCA Linac and MiniLinatron pulsed linear electron accelerators located at Arcueil, France. First studies were carried out with U and Pu bare samples.     

Neutralization rate for slow Ar ions in front of KCl(0 0 1)

Charge state distributions of reflected ions are measured when 5 keV Ar^q+(q = 0−2) ions are incident on a clean KCl(0 0 1) surface at grazing angle, θ_i. Although the charge state distribution does not depend on the incident charge state at larger θ_i, significant dependence of the charge state distribution on incident charge state is observed at smaller θ_i. The ionization of Ar⁰ is completely suppressed at θ_i < 20 mrad, while large neutralization probability is observed for Ar⁺ incidence. These features allow us to derive the position-dependent neutralization rate of Ar⁺ in front of KCl(0 0 1). The obtained neutralization rate decreases exponentially with distance from the surface as it is usually assumed.     

Neutron noise and random trees links between past and present Special Lecture SMORTH VIII — Göteborg, 27–31 May 2002

After reviewing personal reminiscences about the history of reactor noise research, the generalized notion of neutron importance is discussed and advantages of the backward generating function equation are shown by calculating the space-time fluctuations of the neutron density in a simple virtual (one-dimensional) reactor. Similarities between chain reactions and randomly evolving trees are used to study the special properties of branching processes. It is assumed that at t = 0 the tree consists of a single living node called root which, after a certain time τ ≥ 0, may produce η ≥ 0 new living nodes and then becomes dead. τ and η are random variables with known distribution functions. Each new living node evolves further independently of the others as does the root. The time dependence of the expectation value of the living nodes number is determined by the average number q₁ of the new nodes produced by one dying node. Depending on whether q₁ < 1 or q₁ = 1 or q₁ > 1 the randomly evolving tree is called subcritical, critical, and supercritical, respectively. The probability distributions of the tree lifetime and the tree size are determined in two exactly solvable models, and it is proven that a supercritical tree may be finite even at t = ∞ with non-zero probability.     

聚变裂变混合堆钍基增殖锕系元素嬗变包层中子学初步研究

聚变裂变混合堆比纯聚变堆在工程及技术方面要求低,且在产生核燃料、嬗变长寿命核废料以及固有安全性方面具有一定优势,因此,越来越受到人们的重视。增殖包层是混合堆系统的关键部件,已有的包层研究基本上是基于较成熟的铀-钚燃料循环技术。针对我国铀资源相对较少而钍资源较丰富的现状,本文就一种新型的钍基燃料增殖锕系元素嬗变包层进行了初步的中子学研究,利用一维离散纵标法燃耗程序BISONC以及Monte-Carlo粒子输运程序MCNP,对包层的关键核参数,诸如氚增殖比、少量锕系元素的嬗变质量、233U产量以及热功率等,进行了较详细的计算分析。计算结果表明,生成的核燃料233U的富集度可达到3.65%,从而满足压水堆燃料富集度要求。分析结果为下一步的包层优化设计提供了依据。     

中国实验快堆中的238U裂变反应率测量实验研究

由于²³⁸U裂变反应率在中国实验快堆(CEFR)中是一非常关键的指标参数,因此,在CEFR的首次物理启动工作中对其进行了实验测量。在实验过程中,利用高贫化的UO₂（²³⁵U-0.002%）直接进行了²³⁸U裂变反应率的绝对测量;利用国产贫铀片（²³⁵U-0.335%）、高浓铀片（²³⁵U-90%）组合方式间接进行了²³⁸U裂变反应率的测量。给出两种方法与理论值的对比和轴向及径向的相对分布。本实验为²³⁸U裂变反应率测量提出一新的选择方案,并验证了其可靠性。     

Conclusions concerning the delayed neutron data for the major actinides

The conclusions which relate to the delayed neutron yield data for ²³⁵U, ²³⁸U and ²³⁹Pu recommended for use in calculations of the effective delayed neutron fraction, β_eff in conventional thermal and fast reactors, as described in the present issue of Progress in Nuclear Energy, are summarised and discussed.     

堆后铀产品中232U测定方法研究

²³²U是燃料元件制造中需严格控制的铀同位素,为此,需建立一种准确的测量方法。本工作建立了一种α谱仪和质谱法相结合测定铀产品中²³²U含量的新方法。采用质谱法测量²³⁴U、²³⁵U、²³⁶U与²³⁸U的同位素丰度比,α谱仪测量²³²U的活度和²³⁴U、²³⁵U、²³⁶U、²³⁸U的总活度,即可计算出铀产品中²³²U的浓度。对于²³²U含量为1.118 ng/g的样品,16次测定数据的相对标准偏差为3.43%,证明该测量方法有效,可应用于实际样品的分析测定。     

3m^(3)天然六氟化铀运输货包满载及卸载后的辐射水平分析北大核心CSCD

对运输天然UF_(6)原料的3 m^(3)运输容器在满载和卸料后容器内部的辐射源项及分布情况进行分析,计算两种状态下容器表面及1 m处辐射水平,并与实际测量结果进行了对比。计算结果表明:容器外部辐射主要来源于^(234)m Pa、^(234)Pa和^(235)U的γ辐射;满载时,容器外部辐射水平随时间增加而增加,至3个月时基本达到稳定;卸料后,残料容器中由于衰变子体^(234)Th、^(234)m Pa和^(234)Pa的大量残留,且缺少UF_(6)的自屏蔽作用,容器外部辐射水平高于满载状态,在卸料后2个月,残料容器表面最大辐射水平从167.5μSv·h^(-1)降到30.3μSv·h^(-1)。对卸料后约2个月的两个3 m^(3)运输容器表面辐射水平进行测量,测得最大辐射水平分别为31.3μSv·h^(-1)和28.1μSv·h^(-1),测量结果与计算结果基本一致。鉴于天然UF 6运输活动频繁,运输量大,因而在残料容器返厂运输活动中的辐射防护不容忽视,可通过增加残料容器空置时间、远距离操作和减少操作时间来减少工作人员遭受的照射。     

增殖燃烧一体化快堆插花式倒料方案研究

增殖燃烧一体化快堆利用快堆的增殖特性,通过倒料完成从增殖组件向燃烧组件的过渡,从而实现增殖和燃烧过程的一体化。全寿期内燃烧组件提供堆芯的绝大部分功率,而在燃烧组件周围的贫铀组件则将其中的²³⁸U转化为²³⁹Pu,实现增殖功能。通过定期倒料,堆芯在一次装料后可实现长期自持临界,维持几十年的稳定运行。合理的堆芯布置与倒料方案可更好地平衡燃料的燃烧和增殖过程。插花式的堆芯布置与倒料方案是将一部分增殖组件分散布置在堆芯高通量区,保证了增殖组件的快速增殖,同时可保持堆芯在整个反应堆寿期内具有稳定的功率分布。另外,插花式堆芯布置与倒料方案最终的组件卸料燃耗是相对均衡的,所有从燃烧区倒出的组件均具有相近的燃耗,一般在250~300 GW•d/t左右。这使得增殖燃烧一体化快堆可在不进行燃料后处理的条件下,实现铀资源的高效利用。     

熔盐冷却高温球床堆中Flibe对栅元均匀化群截面的影响

熔盐冷却高温球床堆与高温气冷堆所用冷却剂不同,其中子学性能会影响栅元均匀化群截面。本文基于MCNP5研究Flibe熔盐对²³⁸U、²³⁵U、²³²Th共振能区栅元均匀化群截面的影响,并与高温气冷堆进行对比。结果表明,由于熔盐的引入,²³⁸U、²³⁵U、²³²Th的栅元均匀化群截面在包含较强共振峰的能群会发生明显改变,²³⁸U、²³²Th栅元均匀化吸收群截面增大,²³⁵U栅元均匀化裂变群截面减小。随燃料填充度与熔盐填充度的增加,熔盐对所研究重核素的栅元均匀化群截面的影响增大;燃料运行温度与燃料富集度的变化,对Flibe引入的截面相对变化影响并不明显。计算结果表明,熔盐对栅元均匀化裂变群截面和均匀化吸收群截面的影响具有一定规律性。     

Investigation of in-reactor creep and irradiation growth of zirconium-2.5 wt% niobium channel tubes

We summarize the diametral creep results obtained in the MR reactor of the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy on zirconium-2.5 wt% niobium pressure tubes of the type used in RBMK-1000 power reactors. The experiments that lasted up to 30 000 h cover a temperature range of 270 to 350°C, neutron fluxes between 0.6 and 4.0 ×10¹³ n/cm² · s (E > 1 MeV) and stresses of up to 16 kgf/mm². Diametral strains of up to 4.8% have been measured. In-reactor creep results have been analyzed in terms of thermal and irradiation creep components assuming them to be additive. The thermal creep rate is given by a relationship of the type ε_th = A₁ exp [(A₂ + A _3σt) T] and the irradiation component by ε_rad = A_4σtø(T − A₅), where T = temperature, σ_t = hoop stress, ø = neutron flux and a₁ to A₅ are constants. Irradiation growth experiments carried out at 280° C on specimens machined from pressure tubes showed a non-linear dependence of growth strain on neutron fluence up to neutron fluences of 5 × 10²⁰ n/cm². The significance of these results to the elongation of RBMK reactor pressure tubes is discussed.     

DRAGON用于反应堆中微子实验的基准验证

反应堆中微子实验中需计算输出²³⁵U、²³⁸U、²³⁹Pu、²⁴¹Pu在不同燃耗下的裂变份额,而通常的组件计算程序不输出这些结果。为适应反应堆中微子实验的需求,本文用Takahama-3基准对DRAGON用于压水堆燃耗进行基准验证,给出了反应堆中微子实验中关心的4种核素质量密度实验值与计算值的平均偏差,并利用计算出的裂变份额以及每次裂变释放的能量等,给出了NT3G24组件的反应堆中微子能谱,从而验证了DRAGON应用于反应堆中微子实验的可行性。