Evaluation of thermal neutron scattering law of nuclear-grade isotropic graphite

原子炉級等方黒鉛の熱中性子散乱則の評価

中山 梓介  ; 岩本 修  ; 木村 敦   

Nakayama, Shinsuke; Iwamoto, Osamu; Kimura, Atsushi

溶融塩炉などの革新型原子炉の減速材として黒鉛の利用が考えられている。減速材による熱中性子の散乱は炉心設計に大きな影響を与える。革新型原子炉の開発に貢献するため、原子炉級黒鉛の熱中性子散乱則の評価を行った。格子振動に起因する非弾性散乱成分は、第一原理シミュレーションから求めたフォノン状態密度に基づいて評価した。シミュレーションは理想的な結晶黒鉛に対して行った。結晶構造に起因する干渉性弾性散乱成分は、J-PARC/MLF施設で実施された中性子透過実験および散乱実験に基づいて評価した。中性子透過実験との比較においては、空孔などの結晶よりも大きな構造に起因する中性子小角散乱の定量が重要であることがわかった。以上の方法に基づいて、原子炉級黒鉛の熱中性子散乱則データを評価した。

Graphite is a candidate of moderator in innovative nuclear reactors such as molten salt reactors. Scattering of thermal neutrons by the moderator material has a significant impact on the reactor core design. To contribute to the development of innovative nuclear reactors, an evaluation method of thermal neutron scattering law for reactor grade graphite was studied. The inelastic scattering component due to lattice vibration was evaluated based on the phonon density of states computed with first-principles lattice dynamics simulations. The simulations were performed for ideal crystalline graphite. The coherent elastic scattering component due to crystal structure was evaluated based on neutron transmission and scattering experiments recently performed in the J-PARC/MLF facility. In comparison with the neutron transmission experiments, it was found that the quantification of small-angle neutron scattering due to structures larger than crystal, such as pores in graphite, is important. Based on the above methods, thermal neutron scattering law data for reactor-grade graphite at room temperature were evaluated.