The Radiochemical Analysis of Gaseous Samples (RAGS) Apparatus for Nuclear Diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility

Conference · Fri May 11 00:00:00 EDT 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/PLASMA.2011.5992950· OSTI ID:1043654

Shaughnessy, D A; Velsko, C A; Jedlovec, D R; Yeamans, C B; Moody, K J; Tereshatov, E; Stoeffl, W; Riddle, A

The RAGS (Radiochemical Analysis of Gaseous Samples) diagnostic apparatus was recently installed at the National Ignition Facility. Following a NIF shot, RAGS is used to pump the gas load from the NIF chamber for purification and isolation of the noble gases. After collection, the activated gaseous species are counted via gamma spectroscopy for measurement of the capsule areal density and fuel-ablator mix. Collection efficiency was determined by injecting a known amount of {sup 135}Xe into the NIF chamber, which was then collected with RAGS. Commissioning was performed with an exploding pusher capsule filled with isotopically enriched {sup 124}Xe and {sup 126}Xe added to the DT gas fill. Activated xenon species were recovered post-shot and counted via gamma spectroscopy. Results from the collection and commissioning tests are presented. The performance of RAGS allows us to establish a noble gas collection method for measurement of noble gas species produced via neutron and charged particle reactions in a NIF capsule.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 1043654
• Report Number(s): LLNL-PROC-557540; TRN: US1203174
• Resource Relation: Conference: Presented at: 19th Topical Conference High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics, Monterey, CA, United States, May 06 - May 10, 2012
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
COMMISSIONING
EFFICIENCY
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
NEUTRONS
PERFORMANCE
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PURIFICATION
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RARE GASES
US NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY
XENON