Design considerations for neutron activation and neutron source strength monitors for ITER

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:563304

Barnes, C W ^[1]; Jassby, D L; LeMunyan, G; Roquemore, A L ^[2]; Walker, C ^[3]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Plasma Physics Lab.
3. ITER Joint Central Team, Garching (Germany)

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor will require highly accurate measurements of fusion power production in time, space, and energy. Spectrometers in the neutron camera could do it all, but experience has taught us that multiple methods with redundancy and complementary uncertainties are needed. Previously, conceptual designs have been presented for time-integrated neutron activation and time-dependent neutron source strength monitors, both of which will be important parts of the integrated suite of neutron diagnostics for this purpose. The primary goals of the neutron activation system are: to maintain a robust relative measure of fusion energy production with stability and wide dynamic range; to enable an accurate absolute calibration of fusion power using neutronic techniques as successfully demonstrated on JET and TFTR; and to provide a flexible system for materials testing. The greatest difficulty is that the irradiation locations need to be close to plasma with a wide field of view. The routing of the pneumatic system is difficult because of minimum radius of curvature requirements and because of the careful need for containment of the tritium and activated air. The neutron source strength system needs to provide real-time source strength vs. time with {approximately}1 ms resolution and wide dynamic range in a robust and reliable manner with the capability to be absolutely calibrated by in-situ neutron sources as done on TFTR, JT-60U, and JET. In this paper a more detailed look at the expected neutron flux field around ITER is folded into a more complete design of the fission chamber system.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 563304
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--97-3587; CONF-9709163--; ON: DE98001459
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
FISSION CHAMBERS
ITER TOKAMAK
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYZERS
NEUTRON SOURCES
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT
POSITIONING
REAL TIME SYSTEMS