Present status of production of neutron-transmutation-doped-silicon in JRR-3 and JRR-4

Kusunoki, Tsuyoshi ; Magome, Hirokatsu; Takeuchi, Masaki; Kobayashi, Shinsho*; Yamashita, Kiyonobu

JAEA has been conducting practical irradiation for production of Neutron-Transmutation-Doped-Silicon (NTD-Si) since 1977. The JRR-3 and JRR-4 of JAEA are used to irradiate Silicon ingots at present. A Silicon ingot is irradiated with an irradiation facility in the heavy water reflector tank in the JRR-3. The maximum size of silicon ingot which can be irradiated in the facility of JRR-3 is about 152 mm (6 inches) in diameter and 600 mm in length. A silicon ingot is irradiated in the irradiation facility by the side of reactor core in the JRR-4. The maximum silicon ingot which can be irradiated in JRR-4 is about 125 mm (5 inches) in diameter and the 400 mm in length. The amount of NTD-Si was about 3.7 tons at the JRR-3 and about 0.7 tons at the JRR-4 in 2006 Japanese fiscal year. We are planning to investigate the expansion technology of the NTD-Si productivity in the JRR-3.