Using plastic track detectors to solve radiation safety problems at nuclear reactor facilities

Three options of the method to determine microconcentrations of fissile materials in water solutions are developed. They utilize plastic track detectors to measure concentrations. The options are as follows a “wet” method, “thin-layer inorganic sorbent-plastic track detectors”, and a method of selective extraction and coprecipitation. These methods are used to check up fuel cladding integrity at the research reactor IVV-2M and liquid radioactive waste contamination by uranium and plutonium at the Beloyarskaya Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).     

Future developments of INFN-LNL nuclear beam facilities

The accelerator group at INFN-LNL has been mostly engaged, recently, in completing and commissioning the higher current injector of the linac booster ALPI (named PIAVE) and in constructing and assembling the front-end part of a high current driver linac for the RNB facility SPES. PIAVE, designed to accelerate ions with A/Q = < 8.5 up to 1.2 MeV/u, is now completed. The injector has been commissioned with O, Ar, Ne and Xe beams. Neon and argon beams have been delivered to experiments for a total of about 400 hours. A consolidation program of PIAVE and ALPI is planned, so as to deliver a larger variety of beams with a current range  pnA and with an energy exceeding the Coulomb barrier in relevant nuclear reaction cases. The RNB facility SPES, allowing a frontier program in RNB physics, is being designed and prototyped: beams of neutron rich medium-to-heavy mass nuclei will be produced inducing ²³⁸U fission with a 40 MeV 200μA proton beam impinging onto a multi-slice direct target. A further development of ALPI will make it best suitable for the re-acceleration of radioactive nuclear species, after charge breeding and isotope selection.     

加速器核物理大科学平台现状及展望

文章首先回顾了加速器核物理大科学平台的发展历史,随后总结了核物理研究前沿对加速器平台的需求,介绍了不稳定核束的产生和加速方法,综述了现有的加速器装置情况,最后给出了在建的和计划中的加速器装置展望。     

International views on nuclear safety

Safety has always been an important objective in nuclear technology. Starting with a set of sound physical principles and prudent design approaches, safety concepts have gradually been refined and cover now a wide range of provisions related to design, quality and operation. Research, the evaluation of operating experiences and probabilistic risk assessments constitute an essential basis and international co-operation plays a significant role in that context. Concerning future developments a major objective for new reactor concepts, such as the EPR, is to practically exclude a severe core damage accident with large scale consequences outside the plant. To cite this article: A. Birkhofer, C. R. Physique 3 (2002) 1059–1065.     

Fast unstable nuclear beam facilities: present and future

A review is given of the present and future facilities for the production and acceleration of unstable nuclear beams for exciting physics research at the limits of nuclear stability. The various methods for the production of unstable beams using in-flight and ISOL techniques with thick and thin targets are discussed, including their advantages and disadvantages. Some typical examples of facilities are shown. New concepts, future research developments and proposals for ambitious large facilities to meet the challenges of the future are described. To cite this article: A.C.C. Villari, J.R.J. Bennett, C. R. Physique 4 (2003).     

An improved maximum permissible exposure meter for safety assessments of laser radiation

Current interest in laser radiation safety requires demonstration that a laser system has been designed to prevent exposure to levels of laser radiation exceeding the Maximum Permissible Exposure. In some simple systems it is possible to prove this by calculation, but in most cases it is preferable to confirm calculated results with a measurement. This measurement may be made with commercially available equipment, but there are limitations with this approach. A custom designed instrument is presented in which the full range of measurement issues have been addressed. Important features of the instrument are the design and optimisation of detector heads for the measurement task, and consideration of user interface requirements. Three designs for detector head are presented, these cover the majority of common laser types. Detector heads are designed to optimise the performance of relatively low cost detector elements for this measurement task. The three detector head designs are suitable for interfacing to photodiodes, low power thermopiles and pyroelectric detectors.

Design of the user interface was an important aspect of the work. A user interface which is designed for the specific application minimises the risk of user error or misinterpretation of the measurement results. A palmtop computer was used to provide an advanced user interface. User requirements were considered in order that the final implement was well matched to the task of laser radiation hazard audits.     

An intelligent maximum permissible exposure meter for safety assessments of laser radiation

There is frequently a need to make laser power or energy density measurements when determining whether radiation from a laser system exceeds the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) as defined in BS EN 60825. This can be achieved using standard commercially available laser power or energy measurement equipment, but some of these have shortcomings when used in this application. Calculations must be performed by the user to compare the measured value to the MPE. The measurement and calculation procedure appears complex to the nonexpert who may be performing the assessment. A novel approach is described which uses purpose designed hardware and software to simplify the process. The hardware is optimized for measuring the relatively low powers associated with MPEs. The software runs on a Psion Series 3a palmtop computer. This reduces the cost and size of the system yet allows graphical and numerical presentation of data. Data output to other software running on PCs is also possible, enabling the instrument to be used as part of a quality system. Throughout the measurement process the opportunity for user error has been minimized by the hardware and software design.     

Application of SSNTD for maintenance of radiation and nuclear safety of the Sarcophagus

Object “Shelter” (known world-wide as the Sarcophagus) is a source of very high radiological and nuclear hazard. Transfer of the Sarcophagus into an ecologically safe site is a task not only for Ukraine but also for the world community. A composite approach to maintenance of radiation and nuclear safety of the Sarcophagus applying spectrometric methods using solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) is suggested in this paper. The aspects are: (1) monitoring of transuranium element inhalation intake to a human body of nuclear workers; (2) neutron flux evaluation in some premises of the Sarcophagus; (3) fuel hot particle detection in air of working zones; (4) radon and thoron simultaneous measurements.     

JMCT程序临界安全基准校验计算与分析

JMCT程序是北京计算数学与应用物理研究所自主开发的蒙特卡罗方法粒子输运计算程序。从国际临界安全实验数据库中选取棒栅类、U系、Pu系、233U系实验方案对JMCT程序进行验证,验证涵盖了常见裂变元素（如U,Pu等）从低富集度到高富集度的快、热能区,同时也包含了常见的中子毒物以及反射层材料。将JMCT程序的计算结果与基准实验值进行对比,并且与MCNP,MONK程序的计算结果进行了比较。结果表明,在检验的范围内,JMCT程序具有与国际通用蒙特卡罗方法粒子输运程序一样良好的计算精度。     

JMCT程序临界安全基准校验计算与分析

JMCT程序是北京计算数学与应用物理研究所自主开发的蒙特卡罗方法粒子输运计算程序。从国际临界安全实验数据库中选取棒栅类、U系、Pu系、233U系实验方案对JMCT程序进行验证,验证涵盖了常见裂变元素（如U,Pu等）从低富集度到高富集度的快、热能区,同时也包含了常见的中子毒物以及反射层材料。将JMCT程序的计算结果与基准实验值进行对比,并且与MCNP,MONK程序的计算结果进行了比较。结果表明,在检验的范围内,JMCT程序具有与国际通用蒙特卡罗方法粒子输运程序一样良好的计算精度。     

Engineering development and safety back-up for nuclear power programme

This article reviews the engineering development and safety aspects that are relevant to the nuclear power programme being pursued in the country. Some of the important aspects have been discussed in detail bringing out the current status and also the directions for further work.     

Statistical verification of neutron-physics programs for calculations in support of nuclear safety

An algorithm for statistical verification of the XT26 code contained in the SAPHIRE-2006 code system is described. The results of conservative estimation of the calculation error in the K_eff calculations for different types of benchmark experiments are presented. The results of the statistical analysis of deviations from the experimental values are compared with the corresponding parameters obtained from the set of calculations performed using other codes.     

从“福岛第一核电站事故”看我国核能利用的核安全

文章简要说明了福岛第一核电站事故的起因、发展和后果,并对核电站全厂断电、反应堆压力容器及安全壳超压、氢爆等导致事故恶化的原因作了分析.文章还就导致福岛核事故的相关因素与我国核电站的安全设计及防范对策进行了分析比较.在吸取福岛核事故的经验教训方面,文章提出了若干值得引发关注的启示,作为我国在建和在役核电站的改进,以及新设计核电站的参考.文章还就我国能源的状况,核能发展的必要性,以及核能发展的方针进行了探讨.     

从“福岛第一核电站事故”看我国核能利用的核安全

文章简要说明了福岛第一核电站事故的起因、发展和后果,并对核电站全厂断电、反应堆压力容器及安全壳超压、氢爆等导致事故恶化的原因作了分析.文章还就导致福岛核事故的相关因素与我国核电站的安全设计及防范对策进行了分析比较.在吸取福岛核事故的经验教训方面,文章提出了若干值得引发关注的启示,作为我国在建和在役核电站的改进,以及新设计核电站的参考.文章还就我国能源的状况,核能发展的必要性,以及核能发展的方针进行了探讨.     

Continuously improving safety of nuclear installations: An approach to be reinforced after the Fukushima accident

After the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 and the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the Fukushima accident shows that the probability of a core meltdown accident in an LWR (Light Water Reactor) has been largely underestimated. The consequences of such an accident are unacceptable: except in the case of TMI2 (Three Mile Island 2) large areas around the damaged plants are contaminated for decades and populations have to be relocated for long periods. This article presents the French approach which consists in improving continuously the safety of the Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) on the basis of lessons learned from operating experience and from the progress in R&D (Research and Development). It details the key role played by IRSN (Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire), the French TSO (Technical and scientific Safety Organization), and shows how the Fukushima accident contributes to this approach in improving NPP robustness. It concludes on the necessity to keep on networking TSOs, to share knowledge as well as R&D resources, with the ultimate goal of enhancing and harmonizing nuclear safety worldwide.     

核电站最小安全系统电磁脉冲效应试验研究

高空电磁脉冲(HEMP)可通过线缆、孔缝等耦合通道进入电子设备,对各种电子化设备造成暂时甚至永久损伤。考虑到核电站的安全防护等级要求极高,因此有必要研究强电磁脉冲作用下核电站内电子系统的易损性和薄弱环节。首先确定并搭建了核电站最小安全系统模拟试验系统,包括电气、仪控系统和时钟同步系统; 搭建满足GJB 8848-2016规定的威胁级辐照试验平台; 然后对核电站最小安全系统进行辐照效应试验。利用试验数据及效应现象,初步分析了核电站最小安全系统在强电磁脉冲作用下的效应规律,发现HEMP对核电站最小安全系统具有一定程度的威胁,但未影响其核心关键职能。通过总结效应现象、分析薄弱环节和效应阈值,为接下来核电站最小安全系统的易损性评估和防护策略的制定提供依据。     

High-pressure facilities at the ESRF

Abstract

Several beamlines at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble are being designed with high-pressure experiments in mind. Among the first seven beamlines the Microfocus Beamline, the Materials Science Beamline, the Laue White Beamline and the High Energy Beamline are of particular interest for high-pressure diffraction experiments. These experimental stations are outlined and their characteristics are compared.

Presented at the IUCr Workshop on ‘Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation for High Pressure Crystallography’, Daresbury Laboratory 20-21 July 1991     

Application of solid-state nuclear track detectors for studies of fast ion beams within PF-1000 and other plasma-focus facilities

The paper presents results of studies of the fast ion emission from two plasma facilities: PF-1000 and PF-II. The measurements were carried out mainly with solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). To register ion mass- and energy-spectra, obtained when primary ion beams are deflected by magnetic and electric fields of a Thomson-type spectrometer, the SSNTDs plates were installed inside the analyzer. To measure ion angular distributions the SSNTDs were located within the main discharge chamber, at different angles to the electrode axis. The SSNTDs were also applied to register ion beam images formed within an ion pinhole camera, and to determine a spatial location of the fast ion sources.