Radiological analysis of the National Ignition Facility
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) will be capable of providing a laser output pulse at 0.35 {mu}m wavelength with an energy of 1.8 MJ and a power of 500 TW. The NIF will house a multi-beamline, Nd-doped-glass laser capable of delivering such pulses into a target chamber. In the target chamber, a positioner will center a target containing fusion fuel (a deuterium-tritium mixture) for each ignition shot. Diagnostics in the chamber will provide the test data (e.g., neutron and x-ray yields). The NIF baseline case would result in deuterium-tritium (DT) neutron yields of about 10{sup 16} to 10{sup 19} per fusion shot. The baseline fusion shots would use 2 Ci of tritium per capsule, with an annual input of about 600 Ci (60 mg). The resulting anticipated annual airborne emissions would consist of approximately 10 Ci of tritium and small amounts of activated air species. The NEF shielding configuration would limit the direct and skyshine radiation intensities around the facility to less than 0.1 rem/y on site and to less than 0.001 rem/y off site. This report presents the results of atmospheric transport calculations for tritium and activated air emissions; neutron and secondary gamma-ray shielding calculations; and results of benchmark studies for validating the EPA CAP88-PC code (for the transport of tritium) and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory neutron-photon transport code TART. All calculations were normalized to the annual baseline case of 1.4 {times} 10{sup 20} DT-fusion neutrons. Tritium emissions were normalized to 10 Ci/y. Radiological analyses show that normal NIF operations would result in off-site radiation intensities that would represent insignificant increases over the natural background radiation intensity. The NIF is a national facility, and the DOE has not completed the site evaluation process. Although the results presented in this report are for LLNL, the analytical approach is applicable to any site.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 10107949
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-LR-115188; ON: DE94004272
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 26 Oct 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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