Current status of pulsed spallation neutron source at J-PARC

Takada, Hiroshi   

At the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, a pulsed spallation neutron source provides neutrons with high-intensity and narrow pulse width to promote a variety field of materials science by injecting high power proton beam of 3-GeV, 1 MW at repetition rate of 25 Hz. The core components of the spallation neutron source are a mercury target, liquid hydrogen moderators and a reflector with beryllium and iron. Their sizes and arrangement were optimized to get superior neutronics performance for 100% para-hydrogen as the moderator material. Since the lifetime of the mercury target vessel made from SS316L steel is determined by the pitting damage induced by the pressure wave generated at the pulsed proton beam injection, mitigating the pitting damage is the most critical issue to achieve 1 MW operation for long time. So far, gas micro-bubbles injection technique and a target front structure to get faster mercury flow in narrow channel were employed for mitigating the pitting damage in the mercury target vessel. A pitting damage of 25 m was observed on the target front after 670 MWh operation with an average power of 406 kW. In 2018, it is planned to observe the target front of the newly manufactured target after operation with a power of 300 to 500 kW. Further developments of the narrow channel structure of the target front will be carried out. It is also planned to make post irradiation examination to study radiation damage of the target vessel in other facility of Japan Atomic Energy Agency.