与散裂中子靶物理相关的理论计算程序探讨 II厚靶计算

散裂中子靶是加速器驱动洁净核能系统的一个重要环节.相关的理论计算程序和蒙特 卡罗方法是研究该系统的散裂靶物理的一个重要手段.对相关程序进行了比对和介绍,并对SHIELD程序系统在中国的发展和在散裂靶物理上的应用作了介绍.     

Monitoring method for neutron flux for a spallation target in an accelerator driven sub-critical system

In this paper, we study a monitoring method for neutron flux for the spallation target used in an accelerator driven sub-critical(ADS) system, where a spallation target located vertically at the centre of a sub-critical core is bombarded vertically by high-energy protons from an accelerator. First, by considering the characteristics in the spatial variation of neutron flux from the spallation target, we propose a multi-point measurement technique,i.e. the spallation neutron flux should be measured at multiple vertical locations. To explain why the flux should be measured at multiple locations, we have studied neutron production from a tungsten target bombarded by a 250 Me V-proton beam with Geant 4-based Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results indicate that the neutron flux at the central location is up to three orders of magnitude higher than the flux at lower locations. Secondly, we have developed an effective technique in order to measure the spallation neutron flux with a fission chamber(FC), by establishing the relation between the fission rate measured by FC and the spallation neutron flux. Since this relation is linear for a FC, a constant calibration factor is used to derive the neutron flux from the measured fission rate. This calibration factor can be extracted from the energy spectra of spallation neutrons. Finally, we have evaluated the proposed calibration method for a FC in the environment of an ADS system. The results indicate that the proposed method functions very well.     

Heavy density liquid metal spallation target studies for indian ADS programme

Department of Atomic Energy, India has taken up the development of ADS in view of many attractive features like inherent safety, capability to transmute large quantities of nuclear waste, better utilization of thorium etc. A roadmap has been finalized for the development of ADS. One of the key components of the ADS is the spallation target. Considering the neutron yield, thermal-hydraulics and radiation damage issues, we are proposing to develop spallation target based on heavy density liquid metals like lead and lead-bismuth-eutectic (LBE). Both window and windowless target configurations are presently being studied. In view of the various advantages we are also studying liquid metal flow circulation based on gas lift mechanism. An R&D programme has been initiated to address various physics and technology issues of ADS target. Under this programme, mercury and LBE experimental facilities are presently being set up. Along with these facilities, computational tools related to spallation physics (FLUKA) and CFD are being developed, and the existing ones are utilized to design the entire target loop as well as sub-systems. In this presentation the details of these activities are presented.      

CiADS中LBE散裂靶的放射性核素研究

铅铋合金(LBE)作为中国加速器驱动系统(CiADS)散裂靶的候选材料,长期辐照使其具有很强的放射性。散裂靶放射性核素的研究仅考虑了质子束的散裂反应,而忽略了反应堆裂变中子的活化作用。本文采用FLUKA和MCNP耦合计算LBE和及其结构件的放射性产物。比较了裂变中子和高能质子在放射性产物的活度、主要放射性核素、毒性和衰变光子等方面的贡献。裂变中子的活化作用对主壳、导管和射束管有显著影响。当反应堆趋于临界状态时,裂变中子对LBE的活化作用是高于质子束流的。在LBE中,96.66%的 210Po是由裂变中子诱导的。这些结果表明,裂变中子在LBE及其结构部件的活化计算中是必不可少的。此外,本研究为CiADS的辐射防护提供了参考数据,也为ADS系统中散裂靶的放射性核素研究提供了更准确的方法。     

驱动堆中长寿命核废料碘的嬗变研究

利用理论模拟和实验手段对加速器驱动的快中子堆消除常规反应堆排放的核废料碘进行了研究.实验中,利用加速器加速质子使其能量达到1.0GeV,并轰击重金属铅靶,利用靶中产生的次级中子诱发核废料¹²⁹I的嬗变,使其嬗变为稳定同位素¹³⁰Xe.对实验嬗变效率进行了理论模拟验证,进而拓宽到研究的驱动堆体系中.堆芯区的核燃料为乏燃料铀和钚,靶和初级热交换剂为液态铅.     

ADS无窗散裂靶件水模拟实验研究

散裂靶件作为加速器和次临界堆芯的耦合部件,是ADS系统相关研究最主要的组成部分之一。无窗靶巧妙地利用了液体的自由液面特性,避免了质子束对结构材料直接轰击,是一种很有前景的散裂靶靶件形式。采用水作为实验工质搭建了一套无窗散裂靶水模拟实验台架,该实验系统覆盖了无窗散裂靶水模拟实验所需的流量及压力条件,采用粒子图像测速仪(PIV) 对自由界面的流场进行可视化观察与分析,得到了自由界面的基本表征参数之间关系和可视化界面的流场信息。结果表明,无窗靶自由液面的位置和形状受到回路整体流量、压力和靶件几何尺寸的影响。As the coupling component between accelerator and subcritical core, the spallation target is of crucial importance to the operation safety of the whole system. Hence, the spallation target is one of the most important parts in ADS corresponding researches. Due to lifetime limitation of material, the windowless target which has a stable free surface attracts more and more attention. The present paper deals with the experimental investigation on the free surface behavior in an approximately 1:1 size windowless target model using water as test fluid. We can get the flow and pressure conditions of windowless spallation target water simulation experiment from the platform. The free surface and eld visualization were obtained by particle imaging velocimetry. The  results show that the position and  flow pattern of the free surface depend on experimental pressure, flow velocity and geometry of the target.     

ADS中子源散裂靶物理研究

运用蒙卡程序DCM CEM对ADS标准散裂中子靶进行了计算研究.计算了在0.1~1.6GeV的质子轰击下,标准Pb靶发生散裂反应产生的泄漏中子产额及分布、中子能谱以及靶内能量沉积分布.计算结果与文献理论数据、实验数据进行了比较.     

Prospects for transmutation of nuclear waste and associated proton-accelerator technology

While a considerable and world-wide growth of the nuclear share in the global energy mix is desirable for many reasons, a major concern or objection is the long-term burden that is constituted by the radiotoxic waste from the spent fuel. The concept of Partitioning & Transmutation, a scientific and technological answer, is therefore of high interest. Its deployment may use dedicated “Transmuter” or “Burner” reactors, using a fast neutron spectrum. For the transmutation of waste with a large content (up to 50%) of (very long-lived) Minor Actinides, a sub-critical reactor, using an external neutron source is a solution of high interest. It is constituted by coupling a proton accelerator, a spallation target and a subcritical core. This promising new technology is named ADS, for accelerator-driven system. The present paper aims at an introduction into the field in order to focus, in its later part, on the development of the required accelerator technology.     

加速器驱动次临界系统散裂靶参数优化计算

采用国际开源程序包Geant4,构建高能质子束轰击加速器驱动次临界系统(ADS)散裂靶的物理模型,模拟计算质子轰击液态金属铅、铅-铋合金和汞靶的泄漏中子谱分布,以及计算不同能量质子对应的铅靶泄漏中子产额和轴向积分分布,获得1 Ge V质子对应的铅圆柱靶优化参数,考虑入射质子的利用率和整个堆芯的体积质量,优化靶半径范围为16～24 cm,靶高为100 cm,相关研究结果可为(ADS)散裂靶的物理和工程设计提供理论依据。     

Ep≤63 GeV 质子入射铅、铋引起的中子产生双微分截面的模拟(英文)

加速器驱动次临界系统(ADS) 液态Pb-Bi 散裂靶的设计中,需要可靠的理论计算工具精确地预言几个GeV 能量范围的质子引起的散裂反应产生的各种粒子和核素。利用蒙特卡罗模拟软件包Geant4 计算研究了800 MeV至3 GeV 质子入射铅、铋材料引起的中子产生双微分截面。比较了Geant4 不同物理模型得到的模拟结果与现有的实验数据。其中,Geant4 的QGSP BERT和QGSP INCL ABLA 物理模型模拟结果很好地再现了实验数据。本工作证实了Geant4 蒙特卡罗模拟软件包适合用于能量高达3 GeV 的质子入射铅、铋引起的中子产生双微分截面的模拟计算。A detailed design of the liquid Pb-Bi spallation target of the Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) requires powerful and reliable computational tools that can accurately predict particles and nuclides production by the proton induced spallation reactions in the energy range of a few GeV. In this paper, the neutron production double-differential cross sections for Pb and Bi target materials at incident proton kinetic energies between 800 MeV and 3 GeV are studied by calculations with Monte Carlo simulation package Geant4. The simulated results of Geant4 with several physics models are compared with available experimental data. The simulated results generated by QGSP BERT and QGSP INCL ABLA physics models of Geant4 well reproduce the available experimental data. The present results validated that Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation package is suitable for simulations of neutron production double-differential cross sections of proton induced reaction on Pb and Bi targets in the incident energy range up to 3 GeV.     

Determining the Fast Neutron Flux Density and Transmutation Level Measurements in ADS by the Use of a Threshold Nuclear Reaction

Determining the Fast Neutron Flux Density and Transmutation Level Measurements in the ADS by the use of a Threshold Nuclear Reaction. The aim of the project was determining the fast neutron flux density by using data from the Quinta experiment (E+T RAW collaboration). The experimental assembly based on natural uranium was irradiated by a 660 MeV proton beam. To gain the knowledge about the neutron flux inside the experimental assembly, nuclear threshold reactions of (n, xn) type were used. The level of isotopes production are measured by the activation method using a gamma radiation HPGe detector. This paper describes the Quinta assembly, experimental results, calibration procedure and average high energy neutron calculation based on yttrium (Y-89) isotopes production. In the future, results and conclusions from an experiment like this could be useful to design accelerator-driven subcritical systems (ADS) or other 4th generation fast reactors. The investigation has been performed at the Laboratory of High Energy Physics, JINR.     

Proposal for muon and white neutron sources at CSNS

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is a large scientific facility with the main purpose of serving multidisciplinary research on material characterization using neutron scattering techniques. The accelerator system is to provide a proton beam of 120 kW with a repetition rate of 25 Hz initially (CSNSⅠ), progressively upgradeable to 240 kW (CSNS-Ⅱ) and 500 kW (CSNS-Ⅱ'). In addition to serving as a driving source for the spallation target, the proton beam can be exploited for serving additional functions both in fundamental and applied research. The expanded scientific application based on pulsed muons and fast neutrons is especially attractive in the overall consideration of CSNS upgrade options. A second target station that houses a muon-generating target and a fast-neutron-generating target in tandem, intercepting and removing a small part of the proton beam for the spallation target, is proposed. The muon and white neutron sources are operated principally in parasitic mode, leaving the main part of the beam directed to the spallation target. However, it is also possible to deliver the proton beam to the second target station in a dedicated mode for some special applications. Within the dual target configuration, the thin muon target placed upstream of the fast-neutron target will consume only about 5% of the beam traversed; the majority of the beam is used for fast-neutron production. A proton beam with a beam power of about 60 kW, an energy of 1.6 GeV and a repetition rate of 12.5 Hz will make the muon source and the white neutron source very attractive to multidisciplinary researchers.     

A pulsed neutron source on the proton beam for the Moscow Meson Factory

A new pulsed neutron source based on a beam-blanking device has been under construction and improvement at the Moscow Meson Factory of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Neutrons are generated in the course of the spallation process in a water-cooled tungsten target by a proton beam with an energy of 209 MeV. After water moderator (3 cm), neutrons are guided in three horizontal and one vertical channels with a length varying from 4 to 50 m. The standard duration of the proton pulse from the accelerator is 60 μs. At present, the average proton current is as high as 150 μA for a repetition rate of 50 Hz. The neutron fluence in the target is equal to 0.9 × 10¹⁵ neutrons/s, which corresponds to the requirements imposed on the intensity of modern pulsed neutron sources.     

体积填充率变化对球床钨颗粒散裂靶中子学特性影响的研究

应用MCNPX程序,构建质子束轰击球床钨颗粒散裂靶的物理模型,模拟散裂靶泄露中子产额、能谱、通量轴向分布以及散裂靶沉积能分布。针对不同钨颗粒直径和体积填充率,研究了不同钨颗粒直径下体积填充率变化对球床散裂靶中子学特性的影响。模拟结果表明,钨颗粒体积填充率增加,散裂靶的最大沉积能密度减小。在1～20 mm的范围内,钨颗粒的直径越小,散裂靶泄漏中子产额越大,散裂靶泄漏中子产额随钨颗粒体积填充率变化的波动越小,有利于维持CIADS系统反应堆功率稳定。The physical model of the high-energy proton bombarding the tungsten pebble bed spallation target is simulated by the MCNPX program. The effect of the filling rate on the neutronic characteristics with different particle diameters is studied, by calculating the leakage neutron yield, leakage neutron spectrum axial neutron flux distribution and the energy deposition of the target. The result shows that when the diameter increases from 1 to 20 mm,the maximum deposited energy density decreases in the target, but the leakage neutron yield increases. When the filling rate reaches 74%, leakage neutron yields are almost the same value with different particle diameters. When the target is piled up with 1 mm tungsten particles, neutron leakage yield changes smaller with the variation of the filling rate than the other diameter particles which is beneficial to maintain the reactor power stability in ADS.     

ESS靶前束流剖面及束晕监测器样机的研制

为了研究靶前高功率束流的物理特性，欧洲散裂中子源计划研制一套靶前多丝束流剖面监测器及束晕监测器样机，样机的在线测试将在日本质子加速器研究设施的3 GeV质子束传输束线上进行。针对此束线现场安装管道狭小、监测器样机传动机构行程大的特点，提出一种适用于小通道的多点定位多丝束流剖面探头，将其与束晕探头集成在一个样机上，结构紧凑，可实现双探头的独立驱动。使用ANSYS workbench对探头及传动杆进行了变形分析，完成了样机的研制，通过丝间距光学影像测量、真空检漏、小孔通过性测试及通断检测，确保了样机的可靠性。     

Neutron cross-sections above 20 MeV for design and modeling of accelerator driven systems

One of the outstanding new developments in the field of partitioning and transmutation (P&T) concerns accelerator-driven systems (ADS) which consist of a combination of a high-power, high-energy accelerator, a spallation target for neutron production and a sub-critical reactor core. The development of the commercial critical reactors of today motivated a large effort on nuclear data up to about 20 MeV, and presently several million data points can be found in various data libraries. At higher energies, data are scarce or even non-existent. With the development of nuclear techniques based on neutrons at higher energies, nowadays there is a need also for higher-energy nuclear data. To provide alternative to this lack of data, a wide program on neutron-induced data related to ADS for P&T is running at the 20–180 MeV neutron beam facility at ‘The Svedberg Laboratory’ (TSL), Uppsala. The programme encompasses studies of elastic scattering, inelastic neutron production, i.e., (n, xn′) reactions, light-ion production, fission and production of heavy residues. Recent results are presented and future program of development is outlined.      

Neutron productions in the fragmentation of relativistic heavy nuclei and formation of a beam of high-energy neutrons

The production of quasimonoenergetic high-energy neutrons at zero angle (0°) in the spallation of relativistic heavy nuclei is discussed by considering the example of the interaction of lead nuclei with light target nuclei. It is shown that this process can be used to generate a beam of high-energy neutrons at existing heavy ion accelerators. At the same time, itmay lead to the appearance of a parasitic neutron beam because of the interaction of the heavy-ion beam used with beam line and experimental setup materials.     

Initial years' neutron-induced cross-section measurements at the CSNS Back-n white neutron source

The Back-n white neutron source(known as Back-n) is based on back-streaming neutrons from the spallation target at the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS).With its excellent beam properties,e.g.,a neutron flux of approximately 1.8×10~7 n/cm~2/s at 55 m from the spallation target,energy range spanning from 0.5 eV to 200 MeV,and time-of-flight resolution of a few per thousand,along with the equipped physical spectrometers,Back-n is considered to be among the best facilities in the world for carrying out nuclear data measurements.Since its completion and commencement of operation in May 2018,five types of cross-section measurements concerning neutron capture cross-sections,fission cross-sections,total cross-sections,light charged particle emissions,in-beam gamma spectra,and more than forty nuclides have been measured.This article presents an overview of the experimental setup and result analysis on the neutron-induced cross-section measurements and gamma spectroscopy at Back-n in the initial years.     

加速器驱动嬗变研究装置中关键材料的辐照损伤分析

反应堆中各结构部件的抗辐照性能,对整个系统的使用寿命及安全性有较大的影响。本工作通过MCNPx2.70蒙特卡罗软件建立CiADS散裂靶次临界反应堆模型,结合NJOY2016核数据截面处理软件制作的材料原子离位截面,在堆芯组件数分别为30,42,72盒的情况下分别计算和分析了316L、15-15Ti、SIMP 3种不锈钢材料和ZTA陶瓷作为候选结构材料的中子辐照损伤情况。当用作CiADS燃料包壳时,3种不锈钢材料中SIMP制成的包壳的R_dpa值最小,在燃料组件数为30,42,72盒的情况下其年辐照损伤量分别约为1.16,1.61和12.0 dpa/a。而ZTA制成的燃料包壳的R_dpa值均大于不锈钢材料的辐照损伤。在散裂靶次临界反应堆耦合区域,轴向上CiADS中心管在束靶作用面附近所受到的辐照损伤最大。燃料组件数为30盒时,由316L制成的中心管的辐照损伤率峰值约为2.7 dpa/a。     

400~1500 MeV质子轰击铅靶和钨靶的出射中子能谱的FLUKA和Geant4模拟研究

在ADS散裂靶系统的优化设计中,蒙特卡罗方法结合可靠的散裂反应理论模型进行中子学计算具有重要的作用。本工作利用Geant4程序中的INCLXX模型、BIC模型以及BERT模型和FLUKA程序分别模拟了597 MeV和1 500 MeV质子轰击薄铅靶不同出射角度的中子双微分截面,500,1 500 MeV质子轰击厚铅靶不同出射角度的中子双微分产额,以及400,600,800,1 000和1 200 MeV质子轰击厚钨靶在反角方向（175 °）的中子双微分产额,并与实验数据进行比较。研究表明,对于薄铅靶,Geant4程序的INCLXX模型和FLUKA程序模拟结果与实验符合得更好。能量在10～40 MeV范围内,BIC模型模拟结果明显高于实验数据,而BERT模型模拟结果略微低于实验数据。对于厚铅靶,在40 MeV左右所有的模拟结果都低于实验数据。对于厚钨靶,Geant4程序的BIC模型和FLUKA程序与实验数据符合得较好,INCLXX模型在能量高于60 MeV时模拟结果低于实验数据,BERT模型与实验数据差异较大。总体来看,Geant4程序的INCLXX模型和FLUKA程序进行ADS散裂靶相关的中子学的计算是合理和可靠的。The reliable Monte Carlo simulation codes coupled with nuclear reaction models play an important role in the neutronic calculation for the design and optimization of the ADS spallation target. In this work, the double differential cross sections at different angles produced from a thin lead target bombarded with 597 and 1 500 MeV protons, the neutron energy spectra at different angles produced from a thick lead target bombarded with 500 and 1 500 MeV protons, and the neutron energy spectra in the backward direction(175°) produced from a thick tungsten target bombarded with 400, 600, 800, 1 000 and 1 200 MeV protons are calculated with the Geant4 code coupled INCLXX, BIC and BERT models and the FLUKA code. The calculations are compared with the available experimental data. The results show that, for the thin lead target, the calculations with the Geant4 coupled INCLXX model and FLUKA code well reproduce the experimental results. In a energy range from 10 to 40 MeV, BIC model obviously overestimates the experimental results, and BERT model slightly underestimates the experimental results. For the thick lead target, all of the calculations underestimate the experimental results around 40MeV. For the thick tungsten target, the Geant4 coupled BIC model and FLUKA code well reproduce the experimental results. INCLXX model underestimates the experimental results above 60 MeV. BERT model bad reproduces the experimental results. Overall, the neutronic calculations with the Geant4 code coupled INCLXX model and FLUKA code for the ADS spallation target is reasonable and reliable.