NIST Neutron Source Preconceptual Design

Published

October 5, 2022

Author(s)

Dagistan Sahin, Osman Celikten, Robert Williams, Jeremy Cook, Abdullah Weiss, Thomas Newton, David Diamond, Charles F. Majkrzak, Hubert King, Joy Shen, Anil Gurgen, Eliezer Nahmani, Idan Baroukh, Lap-Yan Cheng

Abstract

The National Bureau of Standards Reactor (NBSR) at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) provides a safe and reliable neutron source for the thousands of visiting U.S. and international researchers annually. A new state-of-the-art research reactor utilizing U-10Mo low-enriched uranium (LEU) monolithic fuel is being designed for the NCNR to replace the aging NBSR. The new reactor (NIST Neutron Source, or NNS) will be tailored primarily for neutron science involving thermal and cold neutron beams. This paper provides preconceptual design characteristics for the proposed NIST Neutron Source, highlights of reactor core neutronics and thermal-hydraulics analysis results, and a brief description for user facilities, thermal neutron guides, cold neutron sources and cold neutron guide network. The initial results imply a total cold neutron current gain at the guide entrances ranging between a factor of 6.5 to 8.4, and at least a factor of 2 increase in the thermal neutron Maxwellian brightness with respect to existing NBSR LH₂ cold source.

Conference Dates

October 3-5, 2022

Conference Location

Vienna, AT

Conference Title

RERTR 2022 – 42ND INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON REDUCED ENRICHMENT FOR RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

NIST reactor, NBSR, NNS, Neutronics

Citation

Sahin, D. , Celikten, O. , Williams, R. , Cook, J. , Weiss, A. , Newton, T. , Diamond, D. , Majkrzak, C. , King, H. , Shen, J. , Gurgen, A. , Nahmani, E. , Baroukh, I. and Cheng, L. (2022), NIST Neutron Source Preconceptual Design, RERTR 2022 – 42ND INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON REDUCED ENRICHMENT FOR RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS, Vienna, AT, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=935600 (Accessed December 31, 2024)