Analysis of fuel management in the KIPT neutron source facility

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) of USA and Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) of Ukraine have been collaborating on the conceptual design development of an experimental neutron source facility consisting of an electron accelerator driven sub-critical assembly. The neutron source driving the sub-critical assembly is generated from the interaction of 100 KW electron beam with a natural uranium target. The sub-critical assembly surrounding the target is fueled with low enriched WWR-M2 type hexagonal fuel assemblies. The U-235 enrichment of the fuel material is <20%. The facility will be utilized for basic and applied research, producing medical isotopes, and training young specialists. With the 100 KW electron beam power, the total thermal power of the facility is ∼360 kW including the fission power of ∼260 kW. The burnup of the fissile materials and the buildup of fission products continuously reduce the system reactivity during the operation, decrease the neutron flux level, and consequently impact the facility performance. To preserve the neutron flux level during the operation, the fuel assemblies should be added and shuffled for compensating the lost reactivity caused by burnup. Beryllium reflector could also be utilized to increase the fuel life time in the sub-critical core. This paper studies the fuel cycles and shuffling schemes of the fuel assemblies of the sub-critical assembly to preserve the system reactivity and the neutron flux level during the operation.     

Optimization study of some neutron imaging parameters in a reactor based neutron radiography facility

Neutron imaging technique can be used as a means of material Non-Destructive testing. One of common neutron sources for neutron radiography is nuclear research reactor. In this work, several neutron imaging parameters such as aperture distance and the radiography plane location from the neutron source as well as the aperture diameter have been computationally optimized to deliver a proposed neutron beam. According to the results, the aperture diameter of 3.5–4 cm which was located at 55–85 cm from the outer layer of reactor core and the position of image plane at 300–400 cm fulfills delivering of the suitable neutron flux and other required conditions. W, Fe and Pb walls with an identified length formed the convergent-divergent collimator and shielded the neutron and gamma out of beam path. Bi and Fluental filters with an optimal dimension were used to efficiently improve the neutron beam profile at a sample position.     

Subcritical multiplication factor and source efficiency in accelerator-driven system

The subcritical multiplication factor k_s   and the external neutron source efficiency φ^∗${\phi }^{\ast }$ are important parameters in the accelerator-driven system (ADS) performance assessment. The theoretical relation between k_s and the effective multiplication factor k_eff in a subcritical system is discussed in different cases of subcritical system. On the basis of the theoretical background, the dependence of k_s   and φ^∗${\phi }^{\ast }$ on subcriticality, source position, and energy is numerically investigated using a simple thermal subcritical model. For the sake of experimental evaluation of k_s   and φ^∗${\phi }^{\ast }$, the ADS experiments have been carried out in the subcritical systems combined with 14 MeV pulsed neutrons of the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). The k_s   and φ^∗${\phi }^{\ast }$ parameters are successfully measured by utilizing the reaction rate distribution obtained by the optical fiber detectors in the subcritical system, within a relative difference of less than 7% and 12% for k_s   and φ^∗${\phi }^{\ast }$, respectively, between measured and calculated values for most studied cases.     

Effects of neutron spectrum and external neutron source on neutron multiplication parameters in accelerator-driven system

The neutron multiplication parameters: neutron multiplication M, subcritical multiplication factor k_s, external source efficiency φ^*, play an important role for numerical assessment and reactor power evaluation of an accelerator-driven system (ADS). Those parameters can be evaluated by using the measured reaction rate distribution in the subcritical system. In this study, the experimental verification of this methodology is performed in various ADS cores; with high-energy (100 MeV) proton–tungsten source in hard and soft neutron spectra cores and 14 MeV D–T neutron source in soft spectrum core. The comparison between measured and calculated multiplication parameters reveals a maximum relative difference in the range of 6.6–13.7% that is attributed to the calculation nuclear libraries uncertainty and accuracy for energies higher than 20 MeV and also dependent on the reaction rate distribution position and count rates. The effects of different core neutron spectra and external neutron sources on the neutron multiplication parameters are discussed.     

散裂中子源靶站和中子散射谱仪的概念设计

本文介绍了可应用于多学科应用的散裂中子源(CSNS)靶站和中子散射谱仪概念设计的进展。CSNS靶站将由重水冷却多片钨靶,铍/铁反射体和铁/重混凝土生物屏蔽体组成。采用三个WING型慢化器:水(室温),液体甲烷(100K)和液体氢(20K),设有18个水平中子孔道。MonteCarlo模拟显示优化的靶截面高宽比为1:2.5左右。额定的100kW核功率的质子束轰击后,慢化器处钨靶溢出的脉冲中子通量约为2.4×1016cm?2·s?1。有限元方法计算表明,钨靶体内的总发热量是47kJ/s。即使使用截面较小的钨靶,在通常的水冷速率下,靶体温度也仅略高于90°C。靶体的热应力形变最大不超过0.2mm。根据经济实用原则选择建造粉末衍射仪、小角散射仪、反射仪及直接几何非弹性散射仪等四类有代表性的中子散射谱仪,就能覆盖>80%的中子散射研究领域。     

The design of “multiple energies from one source” in D-T neutron tube

To obtain multiple monoenergetic neutron sources and realize the on-site calibration of radiation monitoring equipment for nuclear-involved places,the structural characteristics and neutron source features of D-T neutron tube were analyzed;Monte Carlo method was adopted to simulate the effect of interaction between typical materials and different energy neutrons;multilayered shielding materials were combined and optimized to acquire the optimal scheme to shield the neutron sources from the neutron tube.On the base,a tapered alignment filtration construction was designed and Monte Carlo method was employed to simulate the effect of alignment construction.The result showed that the tapered alignment filtration construction can create monoenergetic neutrons including14.1 MeV,0.18 MeV and thermal neutrons and demonstrated good monochrome performance which provides multiple monoenergetic sources for the on-site calibration.     

Simulation and optimization for a 30-MeV electron accelerator driven neutron source

A neutron source driven by electron accelerator is proposed in Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP). The facility is planned for the study of nuclear data in Thorium-Uranium cycling system, and for material research. A detailed simulation of the neutron source is performed for the program to get the neutron generation maximum economically. Several parameters of the facility, which affect the neutron yield and the neutron escape from outer surface of the target, are analyzed respectively. Besides, the yielding neutron spectrum and the escaping neutron angular distribution are calculated and discussed.     

用于CSNS反角白光中子能谱及注量率测量的快裂变室

即将建成的中国散裂中子源(China Spallation Neutron Source,CSNS)反角白光中子束线可为核数据测量提供高注量率的脉冲白光中子束流,填补我国核数据测量用白光中子源的空白,提高我国核数据测量水平,满足核能、核技术及基础核物理研究对核数据的需求。该束线建成后,其中子能谱及注量率的精确测量将是开展其它物理实验的基础,快裂变电离室因其独特优点被选为中子能谱和注量率测量探测器。通过实验研究了快裂变电离室的粒子分辨性能、时间分辨性能;确定阴、阳极的合理间距为10 mm,据此测得电离室的时间分辨约15 ns;利用235U样品量计算的探测效率与利用伴随粒子法给出的探测效率在不确定度范围内符合,因此可以标定快裂变室的探测效率。通过这些工作,完成了满足反角白光中子束能谱及注量率测量需求的快裂变室的物理设计。     

离子源及厚靶参数对氘氚反应中子源中子产额的影响

用厚靶氘氚(D-T)反应中子产额的计算方法模拟计算了入射氘离子能量为120 keV时D-T中子源的中子产额。研究了氘离子源产生的束流中单原子氘离子(D+)及双原子氘离子(D2+)比例对中子产额的影响。结果表明,提高D+比例,同时降低D2+比例将有效提高中子产额。另外还研究了不同靶膜材料及组分引起的中子产额变化。表明中子产额与靶膜中氚的含量成正比,与靶膜元素的原子质量成反比。同时分析讨论了离子源品质及靶参数对中子源整体性能的影响,得出离子源束流品质的提高对中子源整体的设计至关重要。最后,模拟计算了靶膜表面有氧化层情况下中子产额的变化,并与实验结果作了对比。在此基础上提出了一种新的靶设计方案,并对其物理可行性进行了研究。     

Evaluation of D（d,n）^3 He reaction neutron source models for BNCT irradiation system design

A mathematical method was developed to calculatc the yield.energy spectrum and angular distribution of neutrons from D(d,n)3 He(D-D)reaction in a thick deuterium-titanium target for incident deuterons in energies lower than 1.0MeV.The data of energy spectrum and angular distribution wefe applied to set up the neutron source model for the beam-shaping-assembly(BSA)design of Boron-Neutron-Capture-Therapy(BNCT)using MCNP-4C code.Three cases of D-D neutron source corresponding to incident deuteron energy of 1000.400 and 150 kaV were investigated.The neutron beam characteristics were compared with the model of a 2.45 MeV mono-energetic and isotropic neutron source using an example BSA designed for BNCT irradiation.The results show significant differences in the neutron beam characteristics,particularly the fast neutron component and fast neutron dose in air,between the non-isotropic neutron source model and the 2.5 MeV mono-energetic and isotropic neutron source model.     

9Be(d,n)加速器中子源中子照相的研究

加速器中子源比反应堆中子源更具灵活性,北京大学正在发展基于RFQ加速器的小型中子照相装置.为了更好地设计和优化此装置,实现高品质的中子照相,我们在北京大学4.5 MV静电加速器上建立了中子照相实验平台,包括科学级制冷、高灵敏度、低噪声的CCD数字成像系统,模拟基于厚铍靶9Be(d,n)反应RFQ中子源的条件,并利用此系统开展中子成像技术的研究.实验在像平面热中子注量率为5×103 cm-2·s-1或快中子注量率为3.7×104 cm-2·s-1的情况下获得了一定质量的热中子及快中子照片.当利用RFQ直线加速器强中子源时将可获得更高质量的图片,从而可以满足大多数的应用需要.     

不同材料中子反射与屏蔽效应研究

利用Monte Carlo粒子输运计算程序Super MC对厚度1-5 cm的多种材料进行中子反射和屏蔽性能分析计算。这些材料包括金属材料铍、铅、铜、含硼钢以及~(238)U和非金属材料聚乙烯、氢化锂、混凝土,中子能段选取10~(-5) e V-20 MeV。结果显示,中子反射能力和屏蔽性能都会随着材料厚度而增加,但增加的幅度逐渐减小。铍和聚乙烯在中子反射和屏蔽方面性能优越,而常用来屏蔽γ射线的铅在这两方面性能都是8种材料中最差的。~(238)U只在材料厚度很小时性能卓著,随着材料厚度增加,其性能便远不如大部分材料。考虑到聚乙烯的力学性能较差,在屏蔽材料的选择上有很大的限制,所以在8种材料中,铍的综合性能相对较好。     

Feynman-α and Rossi-α analyses for a subcritical reactor system driven by a pulsed spallation neutron source in Kyoto University Critical Assembly

ABSTRACT

For a subcritical reactor system driven by a periodically pulsed spallation neutron source in Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA), the Feynman-α and the Rossi-α neutron correlation analyses were carried out to determine the prompt-neutron decay constant and quantitatively to confirm a non-Poisson characteristics of the neutron source. In these correlation analyses, a non-negligible contribution of delayed neutrons and a non-Poisson character of the source were considered, and each pulse was assumed to be a delta function. When a neutron counter was placed closely to the reactor core, the prompt-neutron decay constant determined from the present Feynman-α analysis well agreed with that done from a previous analysis for the same subcritical system driven by an inherent neutron source. However, the decay constant determined from the present Rossi-α analysis was in poor agreement with that done from the above previous analysis. This disagreement originated from an inevitable excitation of a higher mode. In the Rossi-α counting probability distribution, the excitation deformed a sharp cusp arising from the delta function to a smooth convex shape. When the data around the convex top were masked for least-squares fitting of the present Rossi-α formula, the disagreement could be successfully resolved. Compared with the previous Feynman-α and Rossi-α analyses under the Poisson inherent source, the non-Poisson spallation source definitely enhanced the respective prompt-neutron correlation amplitudes. The enhancement rate increased with an increase in subcriticality. Moreover, the Degweker’s factor (m ₂-m ₁ ²)/m ₁ ² of 0.067 ± 0.011, which indicated a non-Poisson character of the present spallation source, could be determined from the present correlation analysis and the non-zero value of the factor convinced us that the present source had a different statistical distribution from the Poisson.     

蒙特卡罗方法在ADS屏蔽计算中的应用

利用蒙特卡罗方法计算了新一代核能系统加速器驱动系统(ADS)中质子束管内的中子归一化注量率分布以及通过质子束管入口和其它外表面逸出的归一化中子注量率,得出了一些对ADS系统的设计有重要意义的结论。     

基于GDT的14MeV中子源初步设计研究

为满足聚变材料测试对D-T聚变中子源的需要,本文首先根据国际上对用于聚变材料测试的中子源的要求给出设计目标,然后基于Gas Dynamic Trap(GDT)装置的实验进展,提出了基于GDT装置的14MeV中子源的设计初步方案,并建立了GDT中子源的物理模型。计算分析给出了两套中子源参数初步方案,其中FDS-GDT2中子壁负载为2MW/m2,可用于聚变材料的测试。     

高能X射线探伤机房屏蔽计算

目的选用一个合适的计算方法对X射线能量大于10 MV的工业探伤用直线加速器机房进行屏蔽计算,确定屏蔽厚度。方法以一台DZ-12/5500型工业探伤用直线加速器机房为研究对象,参考NCRP 151号报告、GBZ/T220.2—2009等资料中提供的计算方法进行计算和分析。结果该加速器机房有用线束方向混凝土屏蔽墙厚度需278 cm,其它三面墙分别需要182、195、204 cm;顶盖厚度为110 cm混凝土时,天空反散射在距机头20 m处造成的剂量当量率非常小;"Z"字型迷道入口处总周剂量当量为115.69μSv,其中X射线的散射和泄漏辐射总剂量当量为2.43μSv/周,中子辐射剂量当量为102.96μSv/周,中子俘获γ射线剂量当量为10.30μSv/周。结论对实际建成运行的机房检测结果的分析后发现,上述计算值与检测值比较吻合,说明本文选用的计算方法和选取的参数可行。