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Development of a sealed-accelerator-tube neutron generator
1Nuclear Engineering Department, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA. JMVerbeke@lbl.gov
Summary
High-output sealed neutron generators utilize D-T fusion for applications like neutron radiography. Computations estimate neutron yields of approximately 10(14) n/s for tritiated targets.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Engineering
- Applied Physics
Background:
- Sealed-accelerator-tube neutron generators are under development at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).
- These generators aim to support diverse applications including neutron radiography, boron neutron capture therapy, and neutron activation analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate neutron yields for titanium and scandium targets using thick-target neutron yield computations.
- To present and discuss recent experimental findings on ion sources and accelerator columns for these generators.
Main Methods:
- Thick-target neutron yield computations were performed.
- Deuteron beam current and energy parameters were analyzed for D-T fusion reactions.
Main Results:
- An estimated time-averaged neutron production of approximately 10(14) n/s was calculated for a tritiated target with a 1 A deuteron beam at 120 keV.
- Similar neutron output requires a 2 A beam at 150 keV in mixed deuteron/triton beam operation.
Conclusions:
- The study provides computational estimates for neutron yields in sealed-accelerator-tube neutron generators.
- Experimental results on key components are presented, contributing to the advancement of high-output neutron generator technology.