Reactor Physics Design for an Epithermal Neutron Beam at the Power Burst Reactor Facility

摘要

An epithermal neutron beam facility has been designed for the Power Burst reactor Facility (PBF). The beam will have a broadband epithermal (1.0 eV - 10 keV) spectrum with extraordinary intensity and collimation with minimum fast neutron and gamma contamination. The PBF reactor is located at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) near Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA. This facility has fulfilled its mission in the light-water reactor safety program and is currently on standby status. The PBF reactor core is situated in an open water-filled tank with a closed-loop coolant system. For BNCT, the core would operate at a steady-state thermal power of 20 MW. The core has a very high metal-to-water ratio which results in an intermediate-energy spectrum and is ideally suited for delivering an intense beam of epithermal neutrons. 7 refs., 3 figs. (ERA citation 14:019635)