Target-Moderator-Reflector system for 10-30 MeV proton accelerator-driven compact thermal neutron source: Conceptual design and neutronic characterization

Abstract

Imaging and scattering techniques using thermal neutrons allow to analyze complex specimens in scientific and industrial researches. Owing to this advantage, there have been a considerable demand for neutron facilities in the industrial sector. Among neutron sources, an accelerator driven compact neutron source is the only one that can satisfy the various requirements-construction budget, facility size, and required neutron flux-of industrial applications. In this paper, a target, moderator, and reflector (TMR) system for low-energy proton-accelerator driven compact thermal neutron source was designed via Monte Carlo simulations. For 10-30 MeV proton beams, the optimal conditions of the beryllium target were determined by considering the neutron yield and the blistering of the target. For a non-borated polyethylene moderator, the neutronic properties were verified based on its thickness. For a reflector, three candidates-light water, beryllium, and graphite-were considered as reflector materials, and the optimal conditions were identified. The results verified that the neutronic intensity varied in the order beryllium > light water > graphite, the compacter size in the order light water < beryllium < graphite and the shorter emission time in the order graphite < light water < beryllium. The performance of the designed TMR system was compared with that of existing facilities and were laid between performance of existing facilities.