Search

Accurate measurement of the nuclear environment within a test tritium breeding-blanket module of a fusion reactor is crucial to determine tritium production rates which are relevant to self-suffici ...

In preparation for the upcoming deuterium-tritium campaign at the JET tokamak, the ex-vessel fission chamber neutron diagnostics and the neutron activation system will be calibrated in absolute terms at 14 MeV neutron energy, to a required accuracy of less than 10%. Two nominally identical DT neutron generators were chosen as the calibration sources, both of which were fully calibrated and characterized at the UK's National Physical Laboratory. The neutron activation method was adopted as a complementary method for the purpose of determining the absolute value of the neutron yield from the neutron generators and to provide a means of cross check for the active detection methods being employed. The work being presented here shows the derivation of the neutron emission rate from the neutron generators based upon experimental activation foil measurements. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.

Activities under the EURO fusion work package JET3 programme have been established to enable the technological exploitation of the planned JET experiments over the next few years, which culminates in a D-T experimental campaign, DTE-2. In the areas of nuclear technology and nuclear safety the programme offers a unique opportunity to provide experimental data that is relevant to ITER. The key purpose of the collected data will be to support bench marking and validation activities relating to neutronics and activation codes, and associated nuclear data, that are used to predict the nuclear behavior of ITER component and materials, during and after operations. This paper details the status and key issues of the ongoing ACT sub-project under work package JET3, which aims to take advantage of the large 14 MeV neutron fluence expected during JET DTE-2 to irradiate samples of real ITER materials used in the manufacturing of the main in-vessel tokamak components. The materials considered, with specified minor elemental impurity levels, include: Nb3Sn, SS316L steels from a range of manufacturers, SS304B, Alloy 660, W, CuCrZr, OF-Cu, XM-19, Al bronze, NbTi and EUROFER. The activities include provision for measurement of nuclide activities for each material and comparison against the predicted quantities through calculation with the FISPACT-II inventory code. Included here are key pre-analysis results for the selected ITER irradiation samples, and corresponding optimization of dosimetry foils (Ti, Mn, Co, Ni, Y, Fe, Co, Sc, Ta) that will be irradiated at selected positions inside JET irradiation stations in order to determine the neutron spectrum. Preliminary experimental activation results through recent JET D–D operations are discussed.

In the frame of the WPJET3-DT Technology project within the EUROfusion Consortium program, neutronics experiments are in preparation for the future deuterium–tritium campaign on JET (DTE2). The experiments will be conducted with the purpose to validate the neutronics codes and tools used in ITER, thus reducing the related uncertainties and the associated risks in the machine operation. This paper summarizes the status of previous shutdown dose rate benchmarks experiments and analyses performed at JET and focuses on the computational and experimental efforts conducted in preparation of the future DTE2 experiments. In particular, preliminary calculations and studies to select detectors and positions aimed to reduce uncertainties in the shutdown dose rate experiment are presented and discussed.

A novel Shutdown dose rate benchmark experiment has been performed at Joint European Torus (JET) machine during the last high performance Deuterium-Deuterium (DD) campaign in preparation of future ...

In the preparation for the Deuterium-Tritium campaign, JET will operate with a tritium plasma. The T + T reaction consists of two notable channels: (1) T + T -> He-4 + 2n, (2) T + T -> He-5 + ...

A calibration of the JET neutron detectors was carried out prior to the upcoming deuterium-tritium experimental campaign. Two Compact DT neutron generators (NGs) were purchased for this purpose from VNIIA, Russia. These generators are capable of producing approximately 2 × 108 neutrons/s with a DT fusion energy spectrum. Preceding the in-vessel calibration measurements, these compact generators were tested and fully characterised at the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL). In order to support the characterisation measurements, detailed neutronics models were developed of the NGs, monitoring detectors and remote handling (RH) apparatus. Neutron spectra calculated from these models have been used to help determine NPL long counter efficiencies and effective centres, as well as NPL reference iron and aluminium activation foil reaction rates. The neutron emission rate has been measured for both generators as a function of angle using absolutely calibrated long counters and the relative emission rate by monitoring single crystal diamond detectors. The measured anisotropy profile is shown to be reproducible with a detailed NG MCNP model. Consequently, the neutron source routine and the MCNP model of the NGs can be reliably used for the analysis of the in-vessel calibration at JET.