Neutron capture cross-section measurements with TC-Pn in KUR for some nuclides targeted for decommissioning

KURのTC-Pnを用いた廃止措置における対象核種の中性子捕獲断面積測定

中村 詔司  ; 遠藤 駿典   ; 木村 敦   ; 芝原 雄司*

Nakamura, Shoji; Endo, Shunsuke; Kimura, Atsushi; Shibahara, Yuji*

本研究は、廃止措置で問題になる放射性核種の放射能生成量を評価するのに資する中性子捕獲断面積に関するものである。京都大学複合原子力研究所の研究炉KURのTC-Pn照射設備を用いて、廃止措置で問題になる対象核種の中からSc, Cu, Zn, Ag, In及びWを選定して、それらの熱中性子捕獲断面積を測定した。測定試料には、高純度の金属試料を用意した。中性子束をモニタするために、Au/Al合金線, Co箔及びMo箔を用いた。モニタ及び金属試料を、KURが1MW運転時に、TC-Pnにて1時間照射した。照射後、照射カプセルを開封し、モニタと金属試料を回収し、それらを一つ一つビニル袋に密封した。そして高純度Ge検出器を用いて、金属試料から放出されるガンマ線を計測して、ガンマ線の収量から反応率を求めた。中性子束モニタ(Au, CoとMo)の反応率を、Westcottのコンベンションに基づいて解析し、熱中性子束成分を(5.920.10)10 n/cm/secと測定した。各々の金属試料について得られた反応率を評価済みの熱中性子断面積で除した時、用いた断面積が妥当であれば、モニタで得られる熱中性子束と同じ値を与えなければならない。今回、Sc, Znの断面積は、不確かさの範囲で評価値と一致した。しかし、その他の核種については不確かさ以上に評価値と食い違いがあり、熱中性子捕獲断面積の値は修正されなければならないことが分かった。

The present study is concerned with the neutron capture cross-sections that contribute to the evaluation of the amount of radionuclides possessing problems in decommissioning. In this study, Sc, Cu, Zn, Ag, In and W were selected among the objective nuclides, and their thermal-neutron capture cross-sections were measured using TC-Pn equipment of the KUR of the Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University. High purity metal samples were prepared. A gold-aluminum ally wire, cobalt and molybdenum foils were used to monitor the neutron flux at the irradiation position of TC-Pn. The flux monitors and metal samples were irradiated for 1 hour at 1-MW operation of the KUR. After irradiation, the irradiation capsule was opened, samples and flux monitors were enclosed in a vinyl bag one by one, and then rays emitted from the samples and monitors were measured with a high-purity Ge detector. The thermal-neutron flux component was derived with the reaction rates of flux monitors (Au, Co and Mo) on the basis of Westcott's convention, and found to be (5.920.10)10 n/cm/sec at the irradiation position. The measured reaction rate for each metal sample divided by the evaluated thermal-neutron capture cross-section should give the same value of the thermal-neutron flux component if the cross section is suitable. This time, we found that the cross sections of Sc and Zn were consistent with the evaluated one, but those of other nuclides were inconsistent with their evaluated ones; that is, it turned out that their thermal-neutron capture cross-sections should be modified.