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Title: Energy Production Demonstrator and Material Testing Station optimization for Megawatt proton beams

Abstract

A simulation study of the Energy Production Demonstrator (EPD) concept – a solid heavy metal target irradiated by GeV-range intense proton beams and producing more energy than consuming – is carried out. Neutron production, fission, energy deposition, energy gain, testing volume and helium production are simulated using the MARS15 code for tungsten, thorium, and natural uranium targets in the proton energy range 0.5–120 GeV. This study shows that the proton energy range of 2–4 GeV is optimal for both a natU EPD and the tungsten-based testing station for proton accelerator facilities. Simulation-based conservative estimates not including breeding and fission of plutonium suggest the proton beam current sufficient to produce 1 GW of thermal output power with the natU EPD while supplying a relatively small fraction of that power to operate the accelerator. The thermal analysis has been performed and has shown that the EPD with a parallel proton beam feeding the core has a potential problem due to a possible core meltdown. In conclusion, a scheme has been proposed with a beam steering on the outer surface of the target; its thermal analysis indicates that slicing the target in shorter parts and maintaining a temperature of 25 °C on theirmore » surfaces would to avoid the target meltdown.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
  2. Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russia)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
OSTI Identifier:
1459587
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1701955
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-PUB-17-677-APC-TD
Journal ID: ISSN 0306-4549; 1653427; TRN: US1901575
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-07CH11359
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford); Journal Volume: 109; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0306-4549
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS

Citation Formats

Pronskikh, Vitaly S., Mokhov, Nikolai V., Novitski, Igor, and Tyutyunnikov, Sergey I. Energy Production Demonstrator and Material Testing Station optimization for Megawatt proton beams. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2017.06.004.
Pronskikh, Vitaly S., Mokhov, Nikolai V., Novitski, Igor, & Tyutyunnikov, Sergey I. Energy Production Demonstrator and Material Testing Station optimization for Megawatt proton beams. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2017.06.004
Pronskikh, Vitaly S., Mokhov, Nikolai V., Novitski, Igor, and Tyutyunnikov, Sergey I. Thu . "Energy Production Demonstrator and Material Testing Station optimization for Megawatt proton beams". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2017.06.004. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1459587.
@article{osti_1459587,
title = {Energy Production Demonstrator and Material Testing Station optimization for Megawatt proton beams},
author = {Pronskikh, Vitaly S. and Mokhov, Nikolai V. and Novitski, Igor and Tyutyunnikov, Sergey I.},
abstractNote = {A simulation study of the Energy Production Demonstrator (EPD) concept – a solid heavy metal target irradiated by GeV-range intense proton beams and producing more energy than consuming – is carried out. Neutron production, fission, energy deposition, energy gain, testing volume and helium production are simulated using the MARS15 code for tungsten, thorium, and natural uranium targets in the proton energy range 0.5–120 GeV. This study shows that the proton energy range of 2–4 GeV is optimal for both a natU EPD and the tungsten-based testing station for proton accelerator facilities. Simulation-based conservative estimates not including breeding and fission of plutonium suggest the proton beam current sufficient to produce 1 GW of thermal output power with the natU EPD while supplying a relatively small fraction of that power to operate the accelerator. The thermal analysis has been performed and has shown that the EPD with a parallel proton beam feeding the core has a potential problem due to a possible core meltdown. In conclusion, a scheme has been proposed with a beam steering on the outer surface of the target; its thermal analysis indicates that slicing the target in shorter parts and maintaining a temperature of 25 °C on their surfaces would to avoid the target meltdown.},
doi = {10.1016/j.anucene.2017.06.004},
journal = {Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford)},
number = C,
volume = 109,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Thu Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}