Option for spallation neutron sources

Abstract

Spallation reactions are a very important option for efficient neutron sources appropriate for fusion materials testing. An “option of this option” is the EURAC concept, which makes use of short-term accelerator technology in the cheapest way and is proved to provide the needed neutron flux to verify fast experiments on fusion materials performance. Its flexible conception allows an optimum combination of very high fluxes of about 10¹⁶ n/cm²/s, with decreasing fluxes along the testing zones in enough volume to perform the correct irradiations. With this assumption, the rate effect can be perfectly analyzed together with the end-of-life conditions assumed in the structural material of the future fusion environments. The possible negative effects of the high-energy neutrons in the Spallation spectrum have been taken into account, concluding their non-significance in the desired damage parameters. The EURAC concept can also be considered in light of other purposes like incineration processes,μ production, and, with the appropriate booster, high-flux cold neutron source.