Mathematical Modeling of Uranium Neutron-Producing Target of Subcritical Assembly NSC KIPT

Abstract

This work is devoted to calculating the rate of radiation damage production in a uranium target irradiated with high-energy electrons with an energy of 100 MeV. The Monte Carlo program MCNPX was used to perform a complete mathematical modeling of a complex of processes occurring in a uranium target when irradiated with high-energy electrons: the development of an electromagnetic shower, the production of photoneutrons, the transport of particles in the target and the creation of radiation damage in it. The analysis showed that fragments of U-238 photo-fission give the main input into the rate of damage production in a uranium target which reaches the value of 100 dpa/year. The expected service life of a uranium target under irradiation is 3 years of operation at full accelerator power.

Keywords

• uranium
• electron
• subcritical assembly
• radiation damage