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A practical target system for accelerator‐based BNCT which may effectively double the dose rate
Author(s) -
RandersPehrson G.,
Brenner D. J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.598266
Subject(s) - beryllium , neutron , lithium (medication) , materials science , yield (engineering) , nuclear engineering , proton , neutron source , radiochemistry , neutron temperature , nuclear physics , physics , chemistry , medicine , engineering , metallurgy , endocrinology
A dose‐limiting component of a proton accelerator‐based source of epithermal neutrons is the neutron production target. Possible targets are lithium, producing high yield but having low melting point and thermal conductivity, and beryllium, presenting less engineering problems but a much smaller neutron yield. We propose that a hybrid Be‐Li target would provide the best of both worlds, with the upstream beryllium component producing neutrons and providing containment to the lithium, and the downstream liquid lithium in turn producing further neutrons as well as cooling the beryllium. The engineering considerations associated with such a target system are within the range of current technology. Calculations suggest a yield of such a practical target that is at least double that from pure beryllium.