skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: LOS ALAMOS NEUTRON SCIENCE CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE POWER REACTORS

Abstract

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is a large spallation neutron complex centered around an 800 MeV high-currently proton accelerator. Existing facilities include a highly-moderated neutron facility (Lujan Center) where neutrons between thermal and keV energies are produced, and the Weapons Neutron Research Center (WNR), where a bare spallation target produces neutrons between 0.1 and several hundred MeV.The LANSCE facility offers a unique capability to provide high precision nuclear data over a large energy region, including that for fast reactor systems. In an ongoing experimental program the fission and capture cross sections are being measured for a number of minor actinides relevant for Generation-IV reactors and transmutation technology. Fission experiments makes use of both the highly moderated spallation neutron spectrum at the Lujan Center, and the unmoderated high energy spectrum at WNR. By combininb measurements at these two facilities the differential fission cross section is measured relative to the {sup 235}U(n,f) standard from subthermal energies up to about 200 MeV. An elaborate data acquisition system is designed to deal with all the different types of background present when spanning 10 energy decades. The first isotope to be measured was {sup 237}Np, and the results were used to improve themore » current ENDF/B-VII evaluation. Partial results have also been obtained for {sup 240}Pu and {sup 242}Pu, and the final results are expected shortly. Capture cross sections are measured at LANSCE using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE). This unique instrument is highly efficient in detecting radiative capture events, and can thus handle radioactive samples of half-lives as low as 100 years. A number of capture cross sections important to fast reaction applications have been measured with DANCE. The first measurement was on {sup 237}Np(n,{gamma}), and the results have been submitted for publication. Other capture measurements in progress include {sup 240}Pu and {sup 242}Pu. The United States recently announced the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), with the goal of closing the commercial nuclear fuel cycle while minimizing proliferation risk. GNEP achieves these goals using fast-spectrum nuclear reactors powered by new transmutation fuels that contain significant quantities of minor actinides. The proposed Materials Test Station (MTS) will provide the GNEP with a cost-effective means of obtaining domestic fast-spectrum irradiations of advanced transmutation fuel forms and structural materials, which is an important step in the fuels qualification process. The MTS will be located at the LANSCE, and will be driven by a 1.08-MW proton beam. Th epeak neutron flux in the irradiation region is 1.67 x 10{sup 15} n/cm{sup 2}/s, and the energy spectrum is similar to that of a fast reactor, with the addition of a high-energy tail. The facility is expected to operate at least 4,400 hours per year. Fuel burnup rates will exceed 4% per year, and the radiation damage rate in iron will be 18 dpa (displacements per atom) per year. The construction cost is estimated to be $73M (including 25% contingency), with annual operating costs in the range of $6M to $10M. Appropriately funded, the MTS could begin operation in 2010.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1000497
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-07-0098
TRN: US1100137
DOE Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 2007 INT'L CONGRESS ON ADVANCES IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ; 200705 ; NICE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; BUILDING MATERIALS; CAPTURE; CROSS SECTIONS; DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS; FAST REACTORS; FISSION; NEUTRON FLUX; NEUTRON REACTIONS; NEUTRONS; NUCLEAR ENERGY; NUCLEAR FUELS; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; OPERATING COST; POWER REACTORS; PROTON BEAMS; RADIATIONS; REACTORS; SPALLATION; TRANSMUTATION

Citation Formats

GAVRON, VICTOR I, HILL, TONY S, PITCHER, ERIC J, and TOVESSON, FREDERIK K. LOS ALAMOS NEUTRON SCIENCE CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE POWER REACTORS. United States: N. p., 2007. Web.
GAVRON, VICTOR I, HILL, TONY S, PITCHER, ERIC J, & TOVESSON, FREDERIK K. LOS ALAMOS NEUTRON SCIENCE CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE POWER REACTORS. United States.
GAVRON, VICTOR I, HILL, TONY S, PITCHER, ERIC J, and TOVESSON, FREDERIK K. 2007. "LOS ALAMOS NEUTRON SCIENCE CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE POWER REACTORS". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1000497.
@article{osti_1000497,
title = {LOS ALAMOS NEUTRON SCIENCE CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE POWER REACTORS},
author = {GAVRON, VICTOR I and HILL, TONY S and PITCHER, ERIC J and TOVESSON, FREDERIK K},
abstractNote = {The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is a large spallation neutron complex centered around an 800 MeV high-currently proton accelerator. Existing facilities include a highly-moderated neutron facility (Lujan Center) where neutrons between thermal and keV energies are produced, and the Weapons Neutron Research Center (WNR), where a bare spallation target produces neutrons between 0.1 and several hundred MeV.The LANSCE facility offers a unique capability to provide high precision nuclear data over a large energy region, including that for fast reactor systems. In an ongoing experimental program the fission and capture cross sections are being measured for a number of minor actinides relevant for Generation-IV reactors and transmutation technology. Fission experiments makes use of both the highly moderated spallation neutron spectrum at the Lujan Center, and the unmoderated high energy spectrum at WNR. By combininb measurements at these two facilities the differential fission cross section is measured relative to the {sup 235}U(n,f) standard from subthermal energies up to about 200 MeV. An elaborate data acquisition system is designed to deal with all the different types of background present when spanning 10 energy decades. The first isotope to be measured was {sup 237}Np, and the results were used to improve the current ENDF/B-VII evaluation. Partial results have also been obtained for {sup 240}Pu and {sup 242}Pu, and the final results are expected shortly. Capture cross sections are measured at LANSCE using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE). This unique instrument is highly efficient in detecting radiative capture events, and can thus handle radioactive samples of half-lives as low as 100 years. A number of capture cross sections important to fast reaction applications have been measured with DANCE. The first measurement was on {sup 237}Np(n,{gamma}), and the results have been submitted for publication. Other capture measurements in progress include {sup 240}Pu and {sup 242}Pu. The United States recently announced the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), with the goal of closing the commercial nuclear fuel cycle while minimizing proliferation risk. GNEP achieves these goals using fast-spectrum nuclear reactors powered by new transmutation fuels that contain significant quantities of minor actinides. The proposed Materials Test Station (MTS) will provide the GNEP with a cost-effective means of obtaining domestic fast-spectrum irradiations of advanced transmutation fuel forms and structural materials, which is an important step in the fuels qualification process. The MTS will be located at the LANSCE, and will be driven by a 1.08-MW proton beam. Th epeak neutron flux in the irradiation region is 1.67 x 10{sup 15} n/cm{sup 2}/s, and the energy spectrum is similar to that of a fast reactor, with the addition of a high-energy tail. The facility is expected to operate at least 4,400 hours per year. Fuel burnup rates will exceed 4% per year, and the radiation damage rate in iron will be 18 dpa (displacements per atom) per year. The construction cost is estimated to be $73M (including 25% contingency), with annual operating costs in the range of $6M to $10M. Appropriately funded, the MTS could begin operation in 2010.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1000497}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 09 00:00:00 EST 2007},
month = {Tue Jan 09 00:00:00 EST 2007}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share: