Initial investigations of SNS target facility accident source terms
The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is a Department of Energy, accelerator-based neutron source proposed for construction at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The project is currently nearing the end of the conceptual design stage. The objective of the target facility is to provide beams of pulsed thermal and sub-thermal neutrons for research purposes. The neutrons are created by the action of highly energetic protons ({approximately} 1 GeV) on a mercury target. The proton beam power will be 1 MW with planned upgrades to 2 MW and, eventually, to 4 MW. Over the course of facility life, significant inventories of spallation and activation products will build up in the target mercury. Accordingly, the facility is being designed to prevent or minimize potential environmental source terms. The results of calculations of the SNS target mercury radionuclide inventories and the characteristics of the dominant radionuclides are presented. The effect of the activation/spallation product chemical and physical characteristics on dispersability is discussed. Energy sources that could drive potential releases, credible initiating events and facility preventive and mitigative features are described. The source term for the limiting extremely unlikely mercury spill accident scenario is presented. These results support the conclusion that the facility has a low hazard profile with regard to the accidental release of radioactive material.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 656702
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/CP-98704; CONF-980921-; ON: DE98005987; BR: KC0202060; TRN: 99:000254
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Nuclear applications of accelerator technology, Gatlinburg, TN (United States), 20-23 Sep 1998; Other Information: PBD: [1998]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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