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Title: Multiphysics approach to plasma neutron source modelling at the JET tokamak

Abstract

A novel multiphysics methodology for the computation of realistic plasma neutron sources has been developed. The approach is based on state-of-the-art plasma transport and neutron spectrum calculations, coupled with a Monte Carlo neutron transport code, bridging the gap between plasma physics and neutronics. In the paper two JET neutronics tokamak models are used to show the application of the developed plasma neutron sources and validate them. Diagnostic data for the record JET D discharge 92436 are used as input for the TRANSP code, modelling neutron emission in two external plasma heating scenarios, namely using only neutral beam injection and a combination of the latter and ion cyclotron resonance heating. Neutron spectra, based on plasma transport results, are computed using the DRESS code. The developed PLANET code package is employed to generate plasma neutron source descriptions and couple them with the MCNP code. The effects of using the developed sources in neutron transport calculations on the response of JET neutron diagnostic systems is studied and compared to the results obtained with a generic plasma neutron source. It is shown that, although there are significant differences in the emissivity profiles, spectra shape and anisotropy between the neutron sources, the integral response ofmore » the time-resolved ex-vessel neutron detectors is largely insensitive to source changes, with major relative deviations of up to several percent. However it is calculated that, because of the broadening of neutron spectra as a consequence of external plasma heating, larger differences may occur in activation of materials which have threshold reactions located at DD neutron peak energies. The PLANET plasma neutron source computational methodology is demonstrated to be suitable for detailed neutron source effect studies on JET during DT experiments and can be applied to ITER analyses.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4];  [5];  [6];  [1]
  1. Jozef Stefan Inst. (IJS), Ljubljana (Slovenia)
  2. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  3. Uppsala Univ. (Sweden)
  4. Univ. Nacional de Educacin a Distancia, Madrid (Spain)
  5. United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Abingdon (United Kingdom)
  6. Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (EPFL) (Switzlerland)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; EUROfusion Consortium
Contributing Org.:
JET Contributors
OSTI Identifier:
1543456
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-09CH11466
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nuclear Fusion
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 59; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5515
Publisher:
IOP Science
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS

Citation Formats

Štancar, Žiga, Gorelenkova, Marina, Conroy, Sean, Sauvan, Patrick, Buchanan, James, Weisen, Henri, and Snoj, Luka. Multiphysics approach to plasma neutron source modelling at the JET tokamak. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ab2c8b.
Štancar, Žiga, Gorelenkova, Marina, Conroy, Sean, Sauvan, Patrick, Buchanan, James, Weisen, Henri, & Snoj, Luka. Multiphysics approach to plasma neutron source modelling at the JET tokamak. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ab2c8b
Štancar, Žiga, Gorelenkova, Marina, Conroy, Sean, Sauvan, Patrick, Buchanan, James, Weisen, Henri, and Snoj, Luka. Tue . "Multiphysics approach to plasma neutron source modelling at the JET tokamak". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ab2c8b. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1543456.
@article{osti_1543456,
title = {Multiphysics approach to plasma neutron source modelling at the JET tokamak},
author = {Štancar, Žiga and Gorelenkova, Marina and Conroy, Sean and Sauvan, Patrick and Buchanan, James and Weisen, Henri and Snoj, Luka},
abstractNote = {A novel multiphysics methodology for the computation of realistic plasma neutron sources has been developed. The approach is based on state-of-the-art plasma transport and neutron spectrum calculations, coupled with a Monte Carlo neutron transport code, bridging the gap between plasma physics and neutronics. In the paper two JET neutronics tokamak models are used to show the application of the developed plasma neutron sources and validate them. Diagnostic data for the record JET D discharge 92436 are used as input for the TRANSP code, modelling neutron emission in two external plasma heating scenarios, namely using only neutral beam injection and a combination of the latter and ion cyclotron resonance heating. Neutron spectra, based on plasma transport results, are computed using the DRESS code. The developed PLANET code package is employed to generate plasma neutron source descriptions and couple them with the MCNP code. The effects of using the developed sources in neutron transport calculations on the response of JET neutron diagnostic systems is studied and compared to the results obtained with a generic plasma neutron source. It is shown that, although there are significant differences in the emissivity profiles, spectra shape and anisotropy between the neutron sources, the integral response of the time-resolved ex-vessel neutron detectors is largely insensitive to source changes, with major relative deviations of up to several percent. However it is calculated that, because of the broadening of neutron spectra as a consequence of external plasma heating, larger differences may occur in activation of materials which have threshold reactions located at DD neutron peak energies. The PLANET plasma neutron source computational methodology is demonstrated to be suitable for detailed neutron source effect studies on JET during DT experiments and can be applied to ITER analyses.},
doi = {10.1088/1741-4326/ab2c8b},
journal = {Nuclear Fusion},
number = 9,
volume = 59,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 23 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Tue Jul 23 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}

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Cited by: 8 works
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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1 Figure 1: Flow chart illustrating the developed methodology for the modelling and neutronics applications of realistic plasma neutron sources. The basis of the method are the plasma diagnostic measurements (pink), fed into TRANSP (blue) for plasma transport calculations, enabling neutron spectra computations with the DRESS code (green). Using the computedmore » neutron emissivity profiles and neutron spectra as inputs, the PLANET code package (red) processes and couples the plasma source information with the MCNP neutron transport code.« less

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