Spallation device for producing neutrons

• US 20050220248A1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Energies Alternatives Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et AUX
• Original Assignee: Energies Alternatives Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et AUX
• Inventors: Ritter, Guillaume
• Application Number:
  US11/001,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 376/190
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 1/30 Subcritical reactors ; Experimental reactors other than swimming-pool reactors or zero-energy reactors
• CPC Class Codes: G21G 4/02 Neutron sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 3/06 Generating neutron beams targets for producing nuclear reactions H05H6/00; neutron sources G21G4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 6/00 Targets for producing nuclear reactions supports for targets or objects to be irradiated G21K5/08 ; preparation of tritium C01B4/00; targets, e.g. pellets for fusion reactions by laser or charged particles beam injection H05H1/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A spallation device for production of neutrons includes a solid spallation target that produces neutrons by interaction with a hollow particle beam propagating within a first chamber, a second chamber containing the spallation target, and a leak tight partition separating the first and second chambers.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. Spallation device for production of neutrons, comprising:

a solid spallation target configured to produce neutrons by interaction with the particle beam;

a first chamber containing the spallation target;

a mechanism configured to generate the particle beam;

a second chamber in which the particle beam will propagate towards the spallation target, along a propagation axis;

a leak tight partition through which the particle beam can pass, separating the first chamber from the second chamber and reaching the propagation axis; and

a heat transporting fluid configured to circulate in the first chamber to cool the spallation target,

wherein the particle beam is hollow and surrounds the propagation axis.

17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the particles are chosen from the group comprising protons, deuterium nuclei, tritium nuclei, helium 3 nuclei, and helium 4 nuclei.

18. Device according to claim 16, wherein radial distribution of current density in the particle beam is approximately gaussian and is offset from an axis of symmetry of the particle beam.

19. Device according to claim 16, wherein the mechanism configured to generate the particle beam is configured to produce the hollow particle beam.

20. Device according to claim 16, wherein the mechanism configured to generate the particle beam is configured to produce the hollow particle beam from a solid particle beam.

21. Device according to claim 16, wherein the spallation target comprises plural successive elementary targets, each elementary target comprising a conical plate provided with a central drilling.

22. Device according to claim 16, wherein a space is provided between the leak tight partition and the spallation target for circulation of the heat transporting fluid.

23. Device according to claim 16, wherein the spallation target has an axis of symmetry of revolution that is coincident with the propagation axis.

24. Device according to claim 16, wherein the leak tight partition is convex towards an inside of the first chamber.

25. Device according to claim 16, wherein the leak tight partition has an axis of symmetry of revolution coincident with the progagation axis.

26. Device according to claim 16, further comprising means for guiding the heat transporting fluid at least towards the leak tight partition, in the first chamber.