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.     

Supermirror neutron guide system for neutron resonance spin echo spectrometers at a pulsed neutron source

A neutron guide system for neutron resonance spin echo spectrometers has been constructed at BL06 of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility. The spectrometers consist of two types of neutron spin echo instruments, a modulated intensity by zero effort instrument (MIEZE) and a neutron resonance spin echo instrument (NRSE), to cover a wide energy range for various sample environments. A neutron beam from the moderator is deflected by supermirror neutron guides, split, and separately guided into the MIEZE and NRSE. The characteristic wavelengths of the neutron guide tube for the MIEZE and NRSE are 2.9 and 4.9 Å, respectively. The cross sections of the exit of the MIEZE and NRSE guides are 15 mm × 50 mm and 30 mm × 50 mm, respectively. The neutronics and shielding design were optimized by using the heavy ion transport code system (PHITS), and the absolute average neutron fluxes at the exits of the MIEZE and NRSE guides are estimated to be 2.7 × 10⁸ and 6.9 × 10⁸ n/cm²/s/MW, respectively. The measured fluxes of the MIEZE and NRSE neutron guides are 0.56 and 0.95 times the calculated values, respectively.     

基于球谱仪的中子剂量率仪设计

研制了一套基于球谱仪的中子剂量率仪。采用单个慢化球及位置灵敏计数器的探测结构,通过单次测量即可计算出中子剂量等信息。在基于电荷分配法的读出电路中,通过对电荷灵敏放大器及滤波成型电路的参数进行优化,使探测器系统的平均位置分辨达到6 mm。利用硬件寻峰等数字信号处理技术,使数据获取系统的最高计数率达到200 k·s-1,满足剂量率仪实时性的要求。     

Delayed neutron precursors

Experimental data on delayed neutron precursors are compiled and evaluated. Where available, the following data are listed for each nuclide: half-life, neutron emission probability, total energy available for beta decay, neutron binding energy of the daughter nucleus, major peaks in the neutron spectrum, methods of identification and production. The literature survey ended in December 1972.     

裂变-聚变中子源

为适应聚变堆的发展和处理高放废物的需要,提出裂变-聚变中子源的概念,它是采用LiD组件放在高通量反应堆中或中国先进研究堆(CARR)重水区中,通过慢中子与6Li(n,a)反应产生2.739 MeV氚离子,它与LiD中的D发生聚变反应,产生聚变中子;随着LiD中氚的快速积累,14 MeV 中子产生的D反冲粒子流与氚发生聚变反应,增长聚变中子产额,使 14 MeV 中子注量率逐渐升高.当氚浓度接近0.5×1022时,D反冲粒子流与氚的聚变反应率的产额接近于1,聚变中子将成倍的增长,类似于连锁反应,使聚变中子产额达到饱和,即t时刻产生氚,都被用于产生聚变反应,形成裂变-聚变中子源.这时的通量非常高,必须在接近饱和前对设定的通量(如3.5×1014n/cm2·s)下逐步降低反应堆功率,如降低CARR 中子注量率,使其在设定的通量下达到饱和,适应聚变堆中子注量率的需求.论述了裂变-聚变中子源的原理,聚变中子产生率,氚的积累速率和浓度,D反冲粒子流和与氚的聚变反应速率,以及其影响因素.在均匀中子场下(即不考虑中子降抑的情况下)计算了外径180 mm、内径100 mm的LiD管道中聚变中子注量率.     

Inelastic neutron scattering and prompt fission neutron spectra for Np

The secondary neutron spectra (inelastic, elastic, fission) for ²³⁷Np were measured by the neutron time of flight spectrometer of the IPPE at the incident energy range 1–2.5 MeV. The solid tritium target was used as a neutron source. The neptunium oxide (189 g) packed in the low mass stainless steel container was used as a scattering sample. The neutron background due to scattering on the target environment and tritium into the target backing was measured and was calculated with the appropriate model of the neutron source. The data were corrected for neutron background, the scattering on the oxygen and iron nuclei, and the effect of the finite sample size. The fission neutron spectra were measured, evaluated and subtracted from the emission neutron spectra to estimate inelastic neutron spectra and cross-sections. The experimental results were compared with ENDF/B-VI, BROND-2, JENDL-3 neutron data libraries.     

Recent neutron sputtering results and the status of neutron sputtering

Extensive (d, t) and (d, Be) fast neutron sputtering results obtained by Batelle-Northwest are summarized for Nb and Au. The measured sputtering ratios are in the range of 10^?5 atoms/fast neutron. These results are compared to other available experimental results and to theoretical estimates. Some implications of fast neutron sputtering for future reactors are summarized.     

Monte Carlo simulation of neutron transport in intense neutron fields

Common Monte Carlo (MC) codes for neutron transport are usually applied to neutron fields of low density under the assumption that the isotopic composition of the structure materials will not be changed in neutron reactions. This assumption is no longer valid in intense neutron fields, where an appreciable number of nuclei of the structural material may get transformed into other isotopes. Due to this time-dependent isotope- transformation; however, neutrons injected later into the system will see a different cross-section profile than the neutrons injected earlier.     

能量选择法中子照相技术

能量选择中子照相是近年来新兴的中子照相技术,具有广泛的潜在应用前景。介绍了能量选择中子照相技术的基本原理,比较分析了机械速度选择器法、双晶单色器法、飞行时间法以及超镜和晶体过滤器结合法4种获取单色中子束的方法。介绍了能量选择中子照相技术在增强图像对比度、应力测量、织构分析以及相变过程研究等方面体现的优异特性和应用潜力。     

Fissile material detection by active neutron interrogation with radioactive neutron sources

Different radioactive neutron sources (Am-Li, Am-Be, Cf-252) were considered and tested for active fissile material detection. The low energy Am-Li neutron source has outstanding features. The low dose rate permits full access to the measuring site. The low energy (thermal) neutron flux at the source position is high compared to the high energy neutrons that reach the counter position. In a graphite matrix, of small size, 7 g U-235 led to a doubling of the neutron count rate whereas 200 g graphite changes this count rate by only 2%. The system is in addition operable in the presence of 10¹² Bq of fission products. The detection of fissile material down to 1 g and below has been shown to be possible with this instrument in small samples.     

Study of neutron production and moderation for sulfur neutron capture therapy

Neutron capture therapy with Sulfur-33, similar to boron neutron capture therapy with Boron-10, is effective in treating some types of tumors including ocular melanoma. The key point in sulfur neutron capture therapy is whether the neutron beam flux and the resonance capture cross section of ~(33)S(n;α)~(30) Si reaction at 13.5 keV can achieve the requirements of radiotherapy. In this research,the authors investigated the production of 13.5 keV neutron production and moderation based on an accelerator neutron source. A lithium glass detector was used to measure the neutron flux produced via near threshold~7 Li(p,n)~7 Be reaction using the time-of-flight method. Furthermore, the moderation effects of different kinds of materials were investigated using Monte Carlo simulation.     

Study of the neutron multiplication effect in an active neutron method

The neutron multiplication effect appears when an item contains large amounts of nuclear material. The neutron multiplication effect in this paper means the effect of subsequent fission reactions which are caused by fission neutrons produced by interrogation neutrons from a neutron generator. The previous active neutron method could not distinguish between first-fission and subsequent-fission neutrons and might overestimate the amount of nuclear material. However, the neutron multiplication effect in the active neutron method has not been adequately investigated. We discuss the evaluation method of the multiplication effect in the fast neutron direct interrogation method, one of the active neutron methods, using simulations with the Monte Carlo code MVP and experiments involving uranium waste drums. The first-generation neutrons from an external neutron source generate fission neutrons called second-generation neutrons, the second-generation neutrons generate third-generation neutrons, and so on. This study supposes that the neutron multiplication effect is mainly caused by the third-generation neutrons under the condition that the fourth-generation neutrons are much fewer. This paper proposes a correction method for the neutron multiplication effect in the measured data.     

Contribution of external neutron sources in excess neutron generation for SCNES

Self-Consistent Nuclear Energy System simultaneously meets four requirements: energy generation, fuel breeding, burning of radionuclides and system safety. The key element of the system is excess neutron generation. Analysis of various neutron sources is done with respect to transmutation requirements. Impact of neutron source on energy system performance is analyzed in terms of excess neutron cost. Special emphasis is made on Fusion Neutron Source.     

组合PIN脉冲中子探测器的能量响应

组合PIN脉冲中子探测器由一对PIN半导体和中子辐射体组成。理论计算了CH2和^235U分别作为中子辐射体的组合PIN脉冲中子探测器的灵敏度随中子能量的变化;用脉冲中子源实验测量了由CH2辐射体组成的探测器的14MeV中子灵敏度,实验结果与计算符合很好。