Multiplication of 14-MeV neutrons in bulk beryllium

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Fusion Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6516707

Smith, J R; King, J J ^[1]; Davidson, J W; Battat, M E ^[2]

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1. Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

An experiment to measure the multiplication of 14-MeV neutrons in bulk beryllium has been completed. The experiment consisted of determining the ratio of [sup 56]Mn activities induced in a large manganese bath by a central 14-MeV neutron source, with and without a beryllium sample surrounding the source. The superior isotropy and flat energy response of the manganese bath gives this detector an advantage over the inhomogeneous and anisotropic detector arrays used in previous experiments for measurements of this type. Values of the multiplication have been obtained for beryllium samples of four thicknesses. The measurements are affected by several systematic effects characteristic of the manganese bath. The values of these systematic corrections are established by a combination of calculation and experimental parameterization. Detailed calculations of the multiplication and all the systematic effects are made by using a highly detailed three-dimensional Monte Carlo geometry model with the MCNP Monte Carlo program. The Young-Stewart and the ENDF/B-VI evaluations for beryllium are used in the analysis. Both data sets produce multiplication values that are in excellent agreement with the manganese bath measurements for both raw and corrected values of the multiplication. It is concluded that there is no real discrepancy between experimental and calculated values for the multiplication of neutrons in bulk beryllium. 23 refs., 9 figs., 10 tabs.

• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 6516707
• Journal Information: Fusion Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Fusion Technology; (United States) Vol. 23:1; ISSN FUSTE8; ISSN 0748-1896
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

663610* -- Neutron Physics-- (1992-)
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700400 -- Fusion Technology-- (1992-)
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BARYON REACTIONS
BERYLLIUM
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALCULATION METHODS
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
E CODES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY RANGE
HADRON REACTIONS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
M CODES
MANGANESE 56
MANGANESE ISOTOPES
METALS
MEV RANGE
MEV RANGE 10-100
MONTE CARLO METHOD
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON REACTIONS
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
Y CODES