Dynamic Fiber Optic Sensors Under Intense Radioactive Environments
- ORNL
A liquid mercury target will be used as the neutron source for the proposed Spallation Neutron Source facility. This target is subjected to bombardment by short-pulse, high-energy proton beams. The intense thermal loads caused by interaction of the pulsed proton beam with the mercury create an enormous rate of temperature rise ({approximately}10{sup 7} K/s) during a very brief beam pulse ({approximately } 0.5 {micro}s). The resulting pressure waves in the mercury will interact with the walls of the mercury target and may lead to large stresses. To gain confidence in the mercury target design concept and to benchmark the computer design codes, we tested various electrical and optical sensors for measuring the transient strains on the walls of a mercury container and the pressures in the mercury. The sensors were attached on several sample mercury targets that were tested at various beam facilities: Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator, Los Alamos Neutron Science Center-Weapons Neutron Research, and Brookhaven National Laboratory's Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. The effects of intense background radiation on measured signals for each sensor are described and discussed. Preliminary results of limited tests at these facilities indicate that the fiber optic sensors function well in this intense radiation environment, whereas conventional electrical sensors are dysfunctional.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oak Ridge, TN
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 1716
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/CP-100113; KC 02 02 06 0; ON: DE00001716
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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