Open AccessEvaluation of tritium production rate in a blanket mock-up using a compact fusion neutron source
Author(s) -
Keisuke Mukai,
Yuka Ogino,
Makoto Kobayashi,
Mahmoud Bakr,
Juro Yagi,
K. Ogawa,
M. Isobe,
Satoshi Konishi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nuclear fusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.774
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1741-4326
pISSN - 0029-5515
DOI - 10.1088/1741-4326/abe4e7
Subject(s) - blanket , neutron , neutron source , neutron generator , neutron transport , neutron cross section , bonner sphere , deuterium , nuclear physics , materials science , neutron detection , tritium , neutron temperature , neutron moderator , radiochemistry , physics , chemistry , composite material
We report a neutronics study of a blanket mock-up using a discharge-type compact fusion neutron source. Deuterium–deuterium fusion neutrons were irradiated to the mock-ups composed of tritium breeder and neutron reflector/moderator. The tritium production rate (TPR) per source neutron was measured by a single-crystal diamond detector with a 6 Li-enriched lithium fluoride film convertor after the calibration process. Despite the low neutron yield, energetic alpha and triton particles via 6 Li(n, t) α neutron capture as well as 12 C via elastic scattering were successfully detected by the SDD with high signal to noise ratios. The TPRs were experimentally evaluated with errors of 8.4%–8.5% at the 1 σ level at the positions with high thermal neutron fluxes where the errors were dominantly introduced by uncertainties in the monitoring of the neutron production rate. The calculated to experimental (C/E) values of TPR were evaluated to be 0.91–1.27 (FENDL-2.1) and 0.94–1.28 (FENDL-3.1). As the neutron source can generate 14 MeV neutrons using a mixed gas of deuterium and tritium, this approach provides more opportunities for blanket neutronics experiments.