The NIKE KrF laser fusion facility

NIKE is a second generation high power KrF laser now under construction at the Naval Research Laboratory. The project is a collaborative effort between NRL and Los Alamos National Laboratory. NIKE is designed to deliver more than 2 kJ of energy to target in a 600-m focal spot and a 4-ns pulse duration. Echelon free induced spatial incoherence (ISI) will be used to produce uniform target illumination. Flat targets will be ablatively accelerated to study both Rayleigh-Taylor and parametric instabilities. These results will have direct implications to direct-drive inertial confinement fusion for commercial energy applications. Reliable operation of a high power KrF laser is also an important goal of the NIKE laser, with the objective of 1000 target shots per year. This would be an important step in the development of the KrF laser as an ICF driver. NIKE is cheduled to begin target experiments in early 1994. If successful, these experiments will provide a technical basis to proceed with construction of an ignition facility.     

Report on the Fifth Symposium on Current Trends in International Fusion Research

The Fifth Symposium on Current Trends in International Fusion Research was held on 24–29 March 2003 in Washington, USA in co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Well-known scientists in their field of interest in fusion research were invited to present review papers. The presentations covered a broad range of fusion topics, including inertial confinement fusion, electrostatic confinement, various magnetic confinement schemes, and hybrid schemes. Each session chairman composed a session report, which John Pucadyil used to create this Report on the Fifth Symposium.     

Low level tritium detection using accelerator mass spectrometry

The detection of very low concentrations of tritium in the atmosphere requires rather large samples and counting times using conventional radioactive decay techniques. Substantial reductions in both sample size and counting time can be realized using accelerator mass spectrometry techniques. We have used the sector-focused cyclotron at the Naval Research Laboratory to detect tritium in hydrogen at the level of 1 part in 10¹² in a 4 ml sample of hydrogen at 1 atm pressure and 15 min counting time. The detection techniques as well as improvements in beam transport efficiency and elimination of memory effects in the accelerator will be presented.     

Noise analysis experience of a BWR power plant

This paper summarizes activities and experiences concerning noise measurement and analysis in the BWR power plant SHIMANE I since its beginning of operation, of the Hitachi Atomic Energy Research Laboratory (HAERL) in collaboration with Chugoku Electric Power Company. The possibility of using noise analysis for safety monitoring, detecting abnormalities at an incipient stage and further, diagnosing the abnormal condition is discussed. The discussion on noise sources in reactor power fluctuation during normal operation is also briefly summarized.     

The Los Alamos National Laboratory inertial confinement Fusion Program

The Los Alamos Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program is focused on preparing for a National Ignition Facility. Target physics research is addressing specific issues identified for the Ignition Facility target, and materials experts are developing target fabrication techniques necessary for the advanced targets. We are also working with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the design of the National Ignition Facility target chamber. Los Alamos is also continuing to develop the KrF laser-fusion driver for ICF. We are modifying the Aurora laser to higher intensity and shorter pulses and are working with the Naval Research Laboratory on the development of the Nike KrF laser.     

Innovative Confinement Concepts Workshop—2002: Conference Report

The Innovative Confinement Concepts Workshop, ICC2002, provided a forum for presentations and exchange of ideas on the science and status of innovative concepts in the U.S. Fusion Energy Program. The workshop, held at the University of Maryland on January 22–24, 2002, included oral presentations addressing the important science and status of the concepts, posters focussed on details of the work, a skunkworks for novel ideas, and breakout sessions preparing for the July 2002 fusion energy Snowmass meeting. This report summarizes the oral presentations. A web site (https://wormhole.ucllnl.org/ICC2002/) has been established with the abstracts and many of the presentations, both oral and poster, from the workshop.     

8th IAEA Technical Meeting on Control,Data Acquisition and Remote Participation for Fusion Research

The 8th Technical Meeting on Control, Data Acquisition, and Remote Participation for Fusion Research was held June 20–24 2011. It was hosted this year by the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This biennial conference has been a venue for sharing ideas and results since 1997. This year's conference focused on new developments and perspectives in the areas of control, data acquisition, and remote participation for nuclear fusion research around the world.     

Energy control of the IMPELA series of industrial accelerators

Electron accelerator sources of radiation for industrial processes must maintain constant and reproducible irradiation parameters in order to provide satisfactory dose quality assurance. The advanced control system used in AECL's IMPELA^TM series of accelerators ensures this by making it possible to decouple the primary accelerator variables, beam energy and beam current. Beam energy is made independent of current by controlling the field amplitude in the standing-wave structure during a relatively long pulse (50–500 μs) and an energy stability similar to that of dc machines is achieved. Experiments with the calibration linac facility at Chalk River show that the beam energy can be held constant to within ± 2% on an absolute basis. This eliminates the requirement for the complex beam analysis after acceleration used on short-pulse linacs. Methods for the measurement of energy at the users site and at the calibration facility are described.     

Plasma Science in the University of California System

A survey is presented of the plasma science research underway in the University of California (UC) system. Plasma research is carried out in at least fifteen different departments at seven of the nine UC campuses, as well as at the three UC-managed DOE laboratories (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)). In addition, many of these activities involved strong collaborations among UC sites as well as with institutions outside of the UC system. The environment for plasma science at UC ranges from small-scale research activities to large programs. Students have the opportunity of being trained in a team setting or in working individually with a professor. Research activities are supported by both government and private sector funding and have a wide range of applications and motivations. These applications can be grouped into general categories such as commercial manufacturing, energy, defense, development of new tools, and fundamental understanding of our universe.     

Technical Summary of the First U.S. Plasma Jet Workshop

This paper provides a technical summary of the first U.S. Plasma Jet Workshop, which was sponsored by the DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences and held at Los Alamos National Laboratory on January 24–25, 2008. The purpose of the workshop was to bring together members of the national plasma jet research community in order to discuss ongoing research and identify research needs and opportunities in plasma jets and their applications, which include fundamental studies of high energy density (HED) plasmas, magneto-inertial fusion (MIF), laboratory astrophysics, and disruption mitigation and fueling for magnetic confinement devices. Over the course of the workshop, about equal time was devoted to short technical talks and group discussions.     

Fusion Innovative Confinement Concepts: 2004

This paper summarizes recent progress in fusion Innovative Confinement Concepts (ICC) as reported at the 2004 ICC Workshop held May 25–28, 2004 in Madison, Wisconsin. This was the third in an annual series of workshops on this topic. The purpose of these workshops is to provide a forum for those who are thinking and working beyond what is considered to be the current state of understanding of fusion concepts.     

Utilization of solar and nuclear energy for hydrogen production

Although the world-wide energy supply situation appears to have eased at present, non-fossil primary energy sources and hydrogen as a secondary energy carrier will have to take over a long-term and increasing portion of the energy supply system. The only non-fossil energy sources which are available in relevant quantities, are nuclear energy, solar energy and hydropower. The potential of H₂ for the extensive utilization of solar energy is of particular importance. Status, progress and development potential of the electrolytic H₂ production with photovoltaic generators, solar-thermal power plants and nuclear power plants are studied and discussed. The joint German-Saudi Arabian Research, Development and Demonstration Program HYSOLAR for the solar hydrogen production and utilization is summarized.     

中国第一台高性能白光中子源——CSNS反角白光中子源及其应用

基于中国散裂中子源（CSNS）建设的我国第一台高性能白光中子源--反角白光中子源（Back-n）是国际上综合性能最好的白光中子源之一,能区范围覆盖meV～百MeV,飞行时间测量分辨率可在全能区达到1%以内,中子注量率国际领先。自2018年3月建成以来,Back-n已开展了一系列的核数据测量实验、探测器标定实验、中子辐射效应实验和中子照相研究,科研产出效率非常高,实验数据质量达到了研究要求,为我国多领域的科学研究和应用研究提供了一个强大的平台。本文对该白光中子源的性能特点、已投入运行和规划中的核数据测量实验谱仪进行了综述,并指出了主要应用方向。     

An overview of 20 years' Romanian experience on packaging and components testing according to national and international regulations

Abstract

More than 20 years ago, the Institute for Nuclear Research (INR) Pitesti in Romania, through its Reliability and Testing Laboratory, was licensed by the Romanian Nuclear Regulatory Body – CNCAN to carry out qualification tests for packages intended for the transport and storage of radioactive materials. The radioactive material is placed in packaging which are designed in accordance with national and the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) Regulations for safe transport to the disposal centre. A broad range of verification and certification tests are performed at INR on radioactive material packages or component sections, such as packages used for the transport of radioactive sources to be used for industrial or medical purposes. This paper describes some of the various tests, which have been performed, and how they relate to normal conditions and minor mishaps during transport. Quality assurance and quality control measures taken in order to meet technical specification provided by design there are also presented.     

Advantages of Using a PMOS FET Dosimeter in High-Dose Radiation Effects Testing

In this paper data are presented that show the response, i.e., shift in threshold voltage, ? VT, as a function of dose, D, up to a megarad for radiation-soft PMOS transistors employed as dosimeters. The relationship between ? VT and D was determined with a calibrated Co-60 gamma-ray source. The PMOS dosimeters were operated with the threshold voltage continuously indicating, i.e., the VT mode. The Co-60 results are compared to data obtained with 10-MeV electrons from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Linac. The linac data were taken at different dose rates, and they do not show an obvious dose rate dependence. Also, the Co-60 and linac data overlap well within the expected experimental uncertainties. The use of the PMOS dosimeter operating in the VT mode for high total dose measurements is compared briefly to other systems that can be employed in performing such measurements. Specifically, the PMOS dosimeter usage is compared to that of Ca F2:Mn thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and commercially available radiachromic nylon film dosimeters. These latter two dosimeter systems, and especially the TLDs, are frequently employed in radiation testing because of their ease of use. Other dosimeter systems, such as the p-i-n diode, are not considered since they are more difficult to use than the systems being compared. The significance of the present work lies in the fact that it demonstrates how important the PMOS dosimeter can be in the high-dose testing of microelectronic devices.     

Les enjeux de l'energie: Quelle place pour le nucleaire?

This paper gives a discussion of the possible place of nuclear energy in the future (among other energy sources) and summarizes some reasons for accepting and promoting nuclear energy.     

Engineering damage cross sections for neutron embrittlement of A302-B pressure vessel steel

The continuing reliable operation of reactor pressure vessels requires continuous surveillance over the neutron-induced increase in the steel pressure vessel transition temperature. The increases are plotted versus neutron fluence, but no agreement exists for a meaningful and accurate neutron fluence criterion readily usable by the engineering community. Establishment of such a criterion was the goal of a research study undertaken at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL); this research also was to support the experimental irradiation effects portion of M.S. thesis work underway by the author at the University of Maryland. Analyses were made of transition temperature increase and neutron fluence data for irradiation of a plate of 6 in. thick (152 mm) A302-B steel. This information plus an accurate neutron spectrum of each irradiation facility was analyzed by an iterative unfolding code to yield two sets of damage cross sections corresponding to embrittlement of A302-B steel at irradiation temperatures of <240 and 550°F (<116 and 288°C).Analyses now completed show that more than 94% of the neutron-induced embrittlement in A302-B steel is caused by neutrons of energies > 0.1 MeV. Furthermore, application of the analysis techniques permits computation of ‘damage-fluence’ values incorporating damage cross sections and fluence > 0.1 MeV that provides the best possible correlation of experimental data regardless of the radiation environment. The technique and cross sections are thought to be sufficiently general that they can be used as a basis for establishing new sets of cross sections for other plates of steel having different chemical composition from that of the original study. This has yet to be proven, however, and will be the subject of future work in this area. In the interests of accuracy of information and uniformity of presentation, it is recommended that these cross sections and the threshold of ‘ > 0.1 MeV’ be adopted for international use in critical engineering assessments of embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel steel.     

Conceptual design of Dipole Research Experiment (DREX)

A new terrella-like device for laboratory simulation of inner magnetosphere plasmas,Dipole Research Experiment,is scheduled to be built at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT),China,as a major state scientific research facility for space physics studies.It is designed to provide a ground experimental platform to reproduce the inner magnetosphere to simulate the processes of trapping,acceleration,and transport of energetic charged particles restrained in a dipole magnetic field configuration.The scaling relation of hydromagnetism between the laboratory plasma of the device and the geomagnetosphere plasma is applied to resemble geospace processes in the Dipole Research Experiment plasma.Multiple plasma sources,different kinds of coils with specific functions,and advanced diagnostics are designed to be equipped in the facility for multi-functions.The motivation,design criteria for the Dipole Research Experiment experiments and the means applied to generate the plasma of desired parameters in the laboratory are also described.     

Field Reversed Configuration Translation and the Magnetized Target Fusion Collaboration

After considerable design and construction, we describe the status of a physics exploration of magnetized target fusion (MTF) that will be carried out with the first flux conserving compression of a high pressure field-reversed configuration (FRC). The upgraded Los Alamos (LANL) high density FRC experiment FRXL has demonstrated that an appropriate FRC plasma target can be created and translated on a time scale fast enough to be useful for MTF. Compression to kilovolt temperature is expected to form a Mbar pressure, high energy density laboratory plasma (HEDLP). Integrated hardware on the new Field Reversed Compression and Heating Experiment (FRCHX) at the Air Force Research Laboratory Shiva Star facility, has formed initial FRC’s and will radially compress them within a cylindrically symmetric aluminum “liner”. FRXL has shown that time scales for FRC translation to the target region are significantly shorter than the typical FRC lifetime. The hardware, diagnostics, and design rationales are presented. Pre-compression plasma formation and trapping experimental data from FRXL and FRCHX are shown.