Characterization of the neutron flux gradients in typical irradiation channels of a TRIGA Mark II reactor

摘要

The neutron distribution in a defined volume (gradient) for different matrices (air, water, cellulose, biological material and silicon dioxide) in two typical irradiation channels (pneumatic tube (PT) and IC40-channel in the carousel facility) in the TRIGA Mark n reactor at the Jozef Stefan Institute (US) was studied. Our experiment was based on inserting Fe wires (flux monitors) into the chosen matrices. The wires were cut into small pieces after irradiation and the induced activities of 59{sup left}Fe measured. The results showed that for the studied geometry the average spatial thermal neutron flux inhomogeneities (for five studied matrices) are about 2.3% in the PT-channel and about 2.9% in the IC40-channel.