7 research outputs found
Complex thinking about organizational complexity The appeal of a narrative approach to complexity theory
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CFD analysis and optimization of a liquid lead-bismuth loop target for ISOL facilities
In the context of the forthcoming next generation of Radioactive Ion Beams (RIBs) facilities based on an Isotope Separation On Line (ISOL) method, the development of production targets capable of dissipating the high power deposited by the primary beam is a major challenge. The concept of a high-power target based on a liquid Pb–Bi loop incorporating a heat-exchanger and a diffusion chamber was proposed within EURISOL DS and is being developed within the LIEBE1 project. Due to the non-static character of the target, specific hydrodynamics issues are of concern. In this paper, these issues are studied mostly based on three-dimensional (3D) Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis of the flow of the Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) target, resulting in optimized designs. The concept and hydrodynamic challenges of generating RIBs from a liquid-metal-loop target irradiated with a high-power primary beam are presented. The optimization of the target design has been conducted keeping in mind the need for a fast and efficient release of short-lived isotopes. This study shows that approximately 100 ms after the proton pulse the irradiated liquid-metal is entirely and uniformly evacuated from the irradiation volume and spread in a shower of small droplets (100-μm radii), in order to reduce the diffusion length of isotopes. Solutions to deal with the typical cavitation risk due to the presence of low-pressure zones in the liquid have also been found and simulated
Development of a Proton-to-Neutron Converter for Radioisotope Production at ISAC-TRIUMF
At ISAC-TRIUMF, a 500 MeV proton beam is impinged upon thick targets to induce nuclear reactions to pro-duce reaction products that are delivered as a Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) to experiments. Uranium carbide is among the most commonly used target materials which produces a vast radionuclide inventory coming from both spallation and fission- events. This can also represent a major limitation for the successful delivery of certain RIBs to experiments since, for a given mass, many isobar-ic isotopes are to be filtered by the dipole mass separator. These contaminants can exceed the yield of the isotope of interest by orders of magnitude, often causing a significant reduction in the sensitivity of experiments or even making them impossible. The design of a 50 kW proton-to-neutron (p2n) converter-target is ongoing to enhance the production of neutron-rich nuclei while significantly reducing the rate of neutron-deficient contaminants. The converter is made out of a bulk tungsten block which converts proton beams into neutrons through spallation. The neutrons, in turn, induce pure fission in an upstream UCx target. The present target design and the service infrastructure needed for its operation will be discussed in this paper.At ISAC-TRIUMF, a 500 MeV proton beam is impinged upon “thick” targets to induce nuclear reactions to produce reaction products that are delivered as a Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) to experiments. Uranium carbide is among the most commonly used target materials which produces a vast radionuclide inventory coming from both spallation and fission-events. This can also represent a major limitation for the successful delivery of certain RIBs to experiments since, for a given mass, many isobaric isotopes are to be filtered by the dipole mass separator. These contaminants can exceed the yield of the isotope of interest by orders of magnitude, often causing a significant reduction in the sensitivity of experiments or even making them impossible. The design of a 50 kW proton-to-neutron (p2n) converter-target is ongoing to enhance the production of neutron-rich nuclei while significantly reducing the rate of neutron-deficient contaminants. The converter is made out of a bulk tungsten block which converts proton beams into neutrons through spallation. The neutrons, in turn, induce pure fission in an upstream UCx target. The present target design and the service infra-structure needed for its operation will be discussed in this paper