Be(d,n)反应中子源能谱测量及应用

 利用中子飞行时间技术和BC501A液体闪烁探测器的粒子分辨特性,测量了0°方向、20 MeV氘束轰击厚金属铍靶反应产生的中子源能谱,测量的中子能谱范围为0.7～25.0 MeV。在60°方向放置芪晶体闪烁探测器,由刻度好的BC501A液体闪烁探测器归一校正后,用于中子源强度监测。利用Be(d, n) 反应中子源,采用单粒子灵敏度标定方法,实验标定了0.75~15.75 MeV能量范围内的薄膜闪烁探测器中子能量响应曲线,实验结果与蒙特卡罗模拟计算结果在8%的不确定度范围内一致。     

A study of antineutrino spectra from spent nuclear fuel at Daya Bay

The Daya Bay Reactor Antineutrino Experiment is designed to determine the as yet unknown neutrino mixing angle, θ₁₃, by measuring the disappearance of electron antineutrinos from several nuclear reactor cores. The projected sensitivity in sin²(2θ₁₃) of better than 0.01 at a 90% CL should be achieved after three years of data-taking. Antineutrinos emitted from spent nuclear fuel (SNF) distort the soft part of the energy spectrum. In this article, a calculation of the antineutrino spectra from the long-life isotopes in SNF is performed. A non-equilibrium generation of long half-life isotopes during the running time of the reactor is also analyzed. Finally, we show that the antineutrino event rate contribution from SNF, which has been stored in the SNF pool for several years, may be non-negligible.     

氘氚源中子穿过聚乙烯样品泄漏中子谱的测量与模拟

采用飞行时间技术测量了氘氚（D-T）源中子穿过不同厚度板状聚乙烯样品后40°方向的泄漏中子时间到达谱,样品的长和宽均为100 cm, 厚度分别为4.5, 9, 18和27 cm。 本底谱测量采用了无样本底测量和无样堵孔本底测量2种方案, 利用MCNP-4C程序模拟了相同实验条件下的泄漏中子时间到达谱, 模拟过程中考虑了源中子的能谱与角分布、脉冲中子束宽度、 探测器的效率以及样品的有效面积。通过比较发现, 采用无样测量谱作为本底时,计算值/实验值（C/E）值大于1, 并且随着样品厚度的增加而偏离1;而本底谱采用无样堵孔测量谱时, C/E小于1, 并且随着样品厚度的增加而接近1。通过对两套本底谱的分析, 并结合蒙特卡罗模拟, 计算求得了相应样品厚度下比较接近实际的本底谱,采用该模拟计算本底谱后,C/E值有了明显的改善。The neutron leakage spectrum were measured at 40° by time of flight method for polyethylene slabs with the thicknesses of 4.5, 9,18 and 27 cm,respectively. The experimental results were compared with the MCNP-4C simulations, which carefully considered many effects, such as the angle and energy distributions of the source neutrons,the width of the beam pulse,the detection efficiency and the effective measured area. The sample out and collimator filled spectra were measured as the background, and the results showed that C/E values were larger than 1 when using the sample out background spectra,but smaller than 1 when using the collimator filled background spectra. Combine these two different background spectra, a new method was used to calculate the background spectrum,and the results have a better agreement with the simulations.     

Measurement of the neutron spectrum of a Pu-C source with a liquid scintillator

The neutron response function for a BC501A liquid scintillator （LS） has been measured using a series of monoenergetic neutrons produced by the p-T reaction. The proton energies were chosen such as to produce neutrons in the energy range of 1 to 20 MeV. The principles of the technique of unfolding a neutron energy spectrum by using the measured neutron response function and the measured Pulse Height （PH） spectrum is briefly described. The PH spectrum of neutrons from the Pu-C source, which will be used for the calibration of the reactor antineutrino detectors for the Daya Bay neutrino experiment, was measured and analyzed to get the neutron energy spectrum. Simultaneously the neutron energy spectrum of an Am-Be source was measured and compared with other measurements as a check of the result for the Pu-C source. Finally, an error analysis and a discussion of the results are given.     

Measurement of the response function and the detection effciency of an organic liquid scintillator for neutrons between 1 and 30 MeV

The light output function of a φ50.8 mm×50.8 mm BC501A scintillation detector was measured in the neutron energy region of 1 to 30 MeV by fitting the pulse height （PH） spectra for neutrons with the simulations from the NRESP code at the edge range. Using the new light output function, the neutron detection effciency was determined with two Monte-Carlo codes, NEFF and SCINFUL. The calculated effciency was corrected by comparing the simulated PH spectra with the measured ones. The determined effciency was verified at the near threshold region and normalized with a Proton-Recoil-Telescope （PRT） at the 8-14 MeV energy region.     

15N（p,n)15O反应中子源0°角激发函数测量

利用中国原子能科学研究院HI-13串列加速器上的多探测器快中子飞行时间谱仪, 测量了38个不同入射质子能量点下15N（p, n)15O反应0°角方向的激发函数。 测量数据用蒙特卡罗方法进行了模拟, 以进行中子注量衰减和入射窗厚度的不确定度修正。 实验在入射质子能量位于6.029—8.056 MeV之间时发现了3个共振峰, 这一点与DROSG 2000评价数据及PTB数据相符合, 但三家的截面数值存在差异, 对这些差异需要作进一步深入探讨。 The excitation function of 15N（p, n)15O reaction at 0 degree was measured at 38 energy points using the fast neutron Time of Flight (TOF) spectrometer at the HI 13 Tandem Accelerator in the China Institute of Atomic Energy（CIAE）. The measured data were analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation for the corrections of neutron flux attenuation and uncertainty of the thickness of the entrance foil. Three resonance peaks were observed in this experiment in the energy range from 6.029 to 8.056 MeV,which is comparable with the DROSG 2000 evaluated data and the PTB data. However,more experimental studies are needed since the cross sections deviate with each other.     

用直接中子法测量（n, 2n）反应截面的实验方法研究

在中国原子能科学研究院HI-13 串列加速器上的非常规多探测器快中子飞行时间谱仪上,采用直接中子法测量了14.3 MeV 中子与169Tm作用的(n,2n) 反应截面。用蒙特卡罗方法模拟了次级中子的产生,以对实验数据进行中子注量率衰减、多次散射和有限几何修正,同时结合SUNF 方法得到的评价能谱,给出了(n,2n) 反应截面的实验测量结果。测量截面以中子弹性散射微分截面作为标准截面来归一,并用反冲质子望远镜测量n-p 反应的反冲质子,以监视中子注量率。用直接中子法测量得到的结果与评价数据进行了比较,讨论了采用这种方法测量(n,2n) 反应截面的可行性。(n,2n) reaction cross section from 169Tm at 14.3 MeV was measured with the direct emittedneutron coincidence detecting method, using abnormal fast neutron TOF spectrometer on the HI-13 Tandem Accelerator at CIAE. Monte-Carlo method was used to simulate the generation of secondary neutron and correct the experimental data considering neutron flux attenuation, multiple scattering and finite geometry correction. Combining with evaluated spectra given by SUNF program, the experimental measurement results of the (n,2n) reaction cross sections were given. Cross sections of measurements were normalized by using neutron elastic scattering differential cross section as a standard section, and a recoil proton telescope was used to measure recoiling proton from the n-p reaction to monitor neutron flux rate. After comparing the experimental results with evaluated data, the feasibility of the direct emitted-neutron coincidence detecting method is discussed.     

8.19 MeV中子与9Be作用的次级中子双微分截面测量

用中国原子能科学研究院HI13串列加速器上的多探测器快中子飞行时间谱仪, 测量了8.19 MeV中子与9Be作用时, 从20°到160°区间26个角度的次级中子双微分截面。测量截面以np散射截面作为标准进行归一。实验结果用Monte Carlo方法进行了中子注量率衰减、多次散射和有限几何修正, 并用MCNP4C程序对所用的Monte Carlo程序进行了验证。测量结果与评价数据以及其它实验室的数据进行了比较。The secondary neutron emission double differential cross section of 9Be induced by 8.19 MeV neutron was measured at 26 different angles from 20°to 150°by using the multi detector fast neutron TOF spectrometer at the HI 13 Tandem Accelerator at China Institute of Atomic Energy(CIAE). The results were normalized to np scattering measurement. A special Monte Carlo code which was validated with the MCNP 4C code was employed to analyze the measured data for the corrections of neutron flux attenuation, multiple scattering and finite geometry. The measured results were compared with the evaluated data and the other measurements.      

2.8MeV中子诱发238U裂变的瞬发中子谱高能段实验测量

在中国原子能科学研究院的高压倍加器上利用中子飞行时间方法测量了2.8 MeV中子引起238U裂变的瞬发中子能谱,通过增大样品量和设计合适的屏蔽体提高了效应/本底比,使得测量数据的不确定度满足预期目标（在5.5～14 MeV能区内,能量间隔为0.5 MeV条件下能谱的不确定度小于10%）。将实验几何、中子源能量分布及角分布、探测效率、束流的时间结构等实验条件输入到MCNP程序里,模拟了出射的中子谱,模拟结果与测量结果在不确定度范围内一致,验证了在入射中子能量较低时238>U的裂变瞬发中子谱评价数据的可靠性。The Prompt Fission Neutron Spectrum (PFNS) of 238U induced by 2.8 MeV neutron was measured using the Cockcroft-Walton accelerator in China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The signal/background ratio was improved by increasing the amount of sample mass and using an appropriate shielding system. The final uncertainty of neutron energy spectrum in 5.5～14 MeV region is less than 10% with a bin size of 0.5 MeV which has reached this project's anticipation. The experimental geometry, the angular distribution and energy distribution of neutron source, the detection efficiency and time structure of deuteron beam were inputted into the MCNP code to simulate the outgoing neutron spectrum. The simulated results agree with the experimental ones within the uncertainty. The result indicates that the evaluated PFNS for 238U at low neutron energy is reliable.     

高压倍加器靶单元组件对源中子能谱影响研究

靶单元组件对中子有散射和吸收作用,与入射粒子也会发生反应,因此高压倍加器中子场在空间的分布除了由反应本身的角分布决定外,还受到靶单元组件的影响。实验利用飞行时间法测量了高压倍加器T(d,n)4He 中子源产生的实际中子场,测量角度为0°~95°,共8 个角度,采用伴随 粒子法对入射束流进行归一。借助蒙特卡罗方法模拟实验过程和靶单元组件等对中子场分布的影响,将实验结果同模拟计算得到的结果进行了比较与分析,为高压倍加器相关实验布局的合理布置和靶单元组件的优化提供了一定的依据。The spatial distribution of neutron field for the High Voltage Multiple Accelerator (HVMA) is not only determined by the angular distribution of the reaction itself, but also affected by scattering and absorption of the target unit. Meanwhile, undesired nuclear reactions of the incoming ions with the target and self-target build-up may contribute to this neutron background, which disturbs the primary neutron field. The spatial distribution of actual neutron field generated by T(d, n)4He on HVMA was measured using the flight-time method. The neutron emission energy spectra were measured at 8 different angles from 0° to 95°. The results were monitored by the accompanying-particle method. TARGET and MCNP (Monte Carlo simulation process) programs were used to simulate the experiment. The results of simulated calculation were compared with the experimental data. The analyzed results will give some qualitative and quantitative conclusions for target unit optimizing and provide some foundational works for physical measurement in HVMA.