Download Free The Mission And Technology Of A Gas Dynamic Trap Neutron Source For Fusion Material And Component Testing And Qualification Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online The Mission And Technology Of A Gas Dynamic Trap Neutron Source For Fusion Material And Component Testing And Qualification and write the review.

This report summarizes discussions and conclusions of the workshop to 'Assess The Mission and Technology of a Gas Dynamic Trap Neutron Source for Fusion Material and Component Testing and Qualification'. The workshop was held at LBNL, Berkeley, CA on March 12, 2009. Most workshop attendees have worked on magnetic mirror systems, several have worked on similar neutron source designs, and others are knowledgeable of materials, fusion component, and neutral beams The workshop focused on the gas dynamic trap DT Neutron Source (DTNS) concept being developed at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP) in Novosibirsk, Russia. The DTNS may be described as a line source of neutrons, in contrast to a spallation or a D-Lithium source with neutrons beaming from a point, or a tokamak volume source. The DTNS is a neutral beam driven linear plasma system with magnetic mirrors to confine the energetic deuterium and tritium beam injected ions, which produce the 14 MeV neutrons. The hot ions are imbedded in warm-background plasma, which traps the neutral atoms and provides both MHD and micro stability to the plasma. The 14 MeV neutron flux ranges typically at the level of 1 to 4 MW/m2.
This report describes a conceptual design of a high-fluence source of 14 MeV D-T neutrons for accelerated testing of materials. The design goal of 10 MW/m2 year corresponding to 100 displacements per atom per year is taken to be sufficient for end-of-life tests of candidate materials for a fusion reactor. Such a neutron source would meet a need in the program to develop commercial fusion power that is not yet addressed. In our evaluation, a fusion-based source is preferred for this application over non-fusion, accelerator-type sources such as FMIT because, first, a relevant 14 MeV D-T neutron spectrum is obtained. Second, a fusion source will better simulate the reactor environment where materials can be subjected to high thermal loads, energetic particle irradiation, high mechanical stresses, intense magnetic fields and high magnetic field gradients as well as a 14 MeV neutron flux of several MW/m2. Although the actual reactor environment can be realized only in a reactor, a fusion-based neutron source can give valuable design information of synergistic effects in this complex environment. The proposed small volume, high-fluence source would complement the capabilities of a facility such as ITER, which addresses toroidal fusion component development. For our source, the volume of reacting plasma and the fusion power have been minimized, while maintaining an intense neutron flux. As a consequence, tritium consumption is modest, and the amount of tritium required is readily available.
The dense Z-pinch (DZP) is one of the earliest and simplest plasma heating and confinement schemes. Recent experimental advances based on plasma initiation from hair-like (10s .mu.m in radius) solid hydrogen filaments have so far not encountered the usually devastating MHD instabilities that plagued early DZP experiments. These encouraging results along with debt of a number of proof-of principle, high-current (1--2 MA in 10--100 ns) experiments have prompted consideration of the DZP as a pulsed source of DT fusion neutrons of sufficient strength (/dot S//sub N/ greater than or equal to 1019 n/s) to provide uncollided neutron fluxes in excess of I/sub .omega./ = 5--10 MW/m2 over test volumes of 10--30 litre or greater. While this neutron source would be pulsed (100s ns pulse widths, 10--100 Hz pulse rate), giving flux time compressions in the range 105−−1°sup 6/, its simplicity, near-time feasibility, low cost, high-Q operation, and relevance to fusion systems that may provide a pulsed commercial end-product (e.g., inertial confinement or the DZP itself) together create the impetus for preliminary considerations as a neutron source for fusion nuclear technology and materials testings. The results of a preliminary parametric systems study (focusing primarily on physics issues), conceptual design, and cost versus performance analyses are presented. The DZP promises an expensive and efficient means to provide pulsed DT neutrons at an average rate in excess of 1019 n/s, with neutron currents I/sub .omega./ /approx lt/ 10 MW/m2 over volumes V/sub exp/ greater than or equal to 30 litre using single-pulse technologies that differ little from those being used in present-day experiments. 34 refs., 17 figs., 6 tabs.
The design and fabrication of a high-intensity, 14-Mev neutron source which can be operated on a hoist platform on the 1500-ft BREN tower at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) has been determined to be feasible. Utilizing the T(d, n)-4He reaction, the source should be capable of producing, as a minimum, an average intensity of 10-13 neutrons/sec for periods up to 4 hr. The type and placement of power supplies, ion sources, targets, and vacuum equipment have been examined and a preliminary conceptual design completed. Control systems, testing procedures, and construction operations were studied and are presented. It is estimated that the neutron source will cost from 260,000 to 300,000, occupy approximately 400 ft-3, weigh approximately 7.5 tons and require about 10 months to complete.
Particle accelerators are important tools for materials research and production. Advances in high-intensity linear accelerator technology make it possible to consider enhanced neutron sources for fusion material studies or as a source of spallation neutrons. Energy variability, uniformity of target dose distribution, target bombardment from multiple directions, time-scheduled dose patterns, and other features can be provided, opening new experimental opportunities. New designs have also been used to ensure hands-on maintenance on the accelerator in these factory-type facilities. Designs suitable for proposals such as the Japanese Energy-Selective Intense Neutron Source, and the international Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility are discussed.
Fusion offers the prospect of virtually unlimited energy. The United States and many nations around the world have made enormous progress toward achieving fusion energy. With ITER scheduled to go online within a decade and demonstrate controlled fusion ten years later, now is the right time for the United States to develop plans to benefit from its investment in burning plasma research and take steps to develop fusion electricity for the nation's future energy needs. At the request of the Department of Energy, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine organized a committee to develop a strategic plan for U.S. fusion research. The final report's two main recommendations are: (1) The United States should remain an ITER partner as the most cost-effective way to gain experience with a burning plasma at the scale of a power plant. (2) The United States should start a national program of accompanying research and technology leading to the construction of a compact pilot plant that produces electricity from fusion at the lowest possible capital cost.
The conceptual design of an ohmically heated, reversed-field pinch (RFP) operating at (approximately)5-MW/m2 steady-state DT fusion neutron wall loading and /approximately/124-MW total fusion power is presented. These results are useful in projecting the development of a cost effective, low input power (/approximately/206 MW) source of DT neutrons for large-volume (/approximately/10 m3), high-fluence (3.4 MW yr/m2) fusion nuclear materials and technology testing. 19 refs., 15 figs., 9 tabs.
A plasma based, deuterium and tritium (DT) fueled, volumetric 14 MeV neutron source (VNS) has been considered as a possible facility to support the development of the demonstration fusion power reactor (DEMO). It can be used to test and develop necessary fusion blanket and divertor components and provide sufficient database, particularly on the reliability of nuclear components necessary for DEMO. The VNS device complement to ITER by reducing the cost and risk in the development of DEMO. A low cost, scientifically attractive, and technologically feasible volumetric neutron source based on the spherical torus (ST) concept has been conceived. The ST-VNS, which has a major radius of 1.07 m, aspect ratio 1.4, and plasma elongation 3, can produce a neutron wall loading from 0.5 to 5 MW/m2 at the outboard test section with a modest fusion power level from 38 to 380 MW. It can be used to test necessary nuclear technologies for fusion power reactor and develop fusion core components include divertor, first wall, and power blanket. Using staged operation leading to high neutron wall loading and optimistic availability, a neutron fluence of more than 30 MW-y/m2 is obtainable within 20 years of operation. This will permit the assessments of lifetime and reliability of promising fusion core components in a reactor relevant environment. A full scale demonstration of power reactor fusion core components is also made possible because of the high neutron wall loading capability. Tritium breeding in such a full scale demonstration can be very useful to ensure the self-sufficiency of fuel cycle for a candidate power blanket concept.