Neutron total and capture cross-section measurements of Gd and Gd in the thermal energy region with the Li-glass detectors and NaI(Tl) spectrometer installed in J-PARCMLFANNRI

木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 遠藤 駿典; Rovira Leveroni, G.; 岩本 修; 岩本 信之; 原田 秀郎; 片渕 竜也*; 寺田 和司*; 堀 順一*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(6), p.678 - 696, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2134224

Neutron total and capture cross-section measurements of Gd and Gd were performed in the ANNRI at the MLF of the J-PARC. The neutron total cross sections were determined in the energy region from 5 to 100 meV. At the thermal neutron energy, the total cross sections were obtained to be 59.41.7 and 251.94.6 kilobarn for Gd and Gd, respectively. The neutron capture cross sections were determined in the energy region from 3.5 to 100 meV with an innovative method by taking the ratio of the detected capture event rate between thin and thick samples. At the thermal energy, the capture cross sections were obtained as 59.02.5 and 247.43.9 kilobarn for Gd and Gd, respectively. The present total and capture cross sections agree well within the standard deviations. The results for Gd were found to be consistent with the values in JENDL-4.0 and the experimental data given by Mastromarco et al. and Leinweber et al. within one standard deviation. Moreover, the present results for Gd agreed with the evaluated data in JENDL-4.0 and the experimental data by Mller et al. within one standard deviation and agreed with the data by Mastromarco et al. within 1.4 standard deviations. However, they disagree (11% larger) with the experimental result by Leinweber et al.

Fast-neutron capture cross section data measurement of minor actinides for development of nuclear transmutation systems

片渕 竜也*; 岩本 修; 堀 順一*; 木村 敦; 岩本 信之; 中村 詔司; Rovira Leveroni, G.; 遠藤 駿典; 芝原 雄司*; 寺田 和司*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 281, p.00014_1 - 00014_4, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202328100014

Long-lived minor actinides (MA) in nuclear waste from nuclear power plants are a long-standing issue to continue nuclear energy production. To solve the issue, researchers have suggested nuclear transmutation, in which long-lived radionuclides are transmuted into stable or shorter-life nuclides via neutron-induced nuclear reactions. Development of nuclear transmutation systems as an accelerator-driven system requires accurate neutron nuclear reaction data. The present research project entitled "Study on accuracy improvement of fast-neutron capture reaction data of long-lived MAs for development of nuclear transmutation systems" have been conducted as a joint collaboration, including Tokyo Tech, Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Kyoto University. This project focuses on the neutron capture reaction of MAs, especially Np, Am and Am, in the fast neutron energy region. The final goal of this project is to improve the accuracies of the neutron capture cross sections of Np, Am and Am employing a high-intensity neutron beam from a spallation source of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) that reduces uncertainties of measurement. To achieve the goal, a neutron beam filter system in J-PARC, sample characteristic assay, and theoretical reaction model study were developed. In this contribution, the overview and results of the project will be presented.

Development of a neutron beam monitor with a thin plastic scintillator for nuclear data measurement using spallation neutron source

中野 秀仁*; 片渕 竜也*; Rovira Leveroni, G.; 児玉 有*; 寺田 和司*; 木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 遠藤 駿典

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(12), p.1499 - 1506, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2067598

A neutron monitoring detection system was developed for neutron capture cross section measurement using a spallation neutron source. A combination of a plastic scintillator and a thin LiF foil was adopted for the detector. The detector system was tested to study the feasibility of the system. Neutron irradiation experiments were conducted with the Accurate Neutron-Nucleus Reaction Measurement Instrument in the Materials and Life Science facility of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex. A neutron time-of-flight spectrum was successfully measured without significant count loss or detector paralysis. The statistical uncertainty reached 0.7% at neutron energies around 6 meV.

Data acquisition and display module for time-of-flight neutron measurement

藤 健太郎; 中村 龍也; 坂佐井 馨; 山岸 秀志*

Proceedings of 2022 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference (2022 IEEE NSS MIC RTSD) (Internet), 3 Pages, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSS/MIC44845.2022.10399243

飛行時間法を用いるパルス中性子散乱実験用のリアルタイムデータ表示,保存機器を開発した。開発したモジュールは二次元中性子検出器からの実験データ(二次元イメージ,一次元投影イメージ,TOFスペクトル,カウントデータ等)をリアルタイムで表示することができる。モジュールには標準モードと高速モードの2つの動作モードが備わっている。高速モードではモジュール内の動作を限定することで高速動作を実現しており、大強度の中性子測定においては有用な動作モードである。中性子検出器からの出力信号を模擬したテスト信号を用いて動作試験を行ったところ、通常モード,高速モードでそれぞれ1MHz, 1.6MHzの連続信号を計数損失なしで測定できることを確認した。

有機物含有核燃料物質の安定化処理

先崎 達也; 荒井 陽一; 矢野 公彦; 佐藤 大輔; 多田 康平; 小木 浩通*; 川野邊 崇之*; 大野 真平; 中村 雅弘; 北脇 慎一; et al.

JAEA-Testing 2022-001, 28 Pages, 2022/05

JAEA-Testing-2022-001.pdf:2.33MB

核燃料サイクル工学研究所B棟における試験、分析の実施により発生し、長期間グローブボックス内に保管していた核燃料物質について、当該施設の廃止措置の決定に伴い、高レベル放射性物質研究施設(CPF)の貯蔵庫においてポリ塩化ビニル製の袋(PVCバッグ)で密封して保管していた。CPF安全作業基準に基づく貯蔵物の定期点検においてPVCバッグが徐々に膨らむ状況が確認されたことから、当該試料中から放射線分解によると思われる何らかのガスが発生していると考えられた。ガスが滞留した状態で放置すると、PVCバッグの破裂・破損に繋がるため、ガスが発生しない状態に安定化する必要があると考えた。安定化処理までの処理フローを確立するため、当該核燃料物質の性状を調査した。また、その結果から模擬物質を選定してモックアップ試験を実施した。性状調査においては放射能分析や成分分析、熱分析を実施した。放射性物質濃度及び組成を明らかにするため、線スペクトロメトリーによる定性分析及び試料溶解による成分分析を実施した。次に、加熱処理による発熱反応を確認するため、酸素をコントロールした条件下で熱分析を実施した。熱分析の結果から有機物含有核燃料物質の組成を推定し、700Cの熱処理により安定化が可能と判断できたことから、全量を熱処理し安定化処理作業を完了した。核燃料物質の熱処理においては、まずは少量の試料により安全性を確認した後、処理規模をスケールアップした。熱分解処理後の重量減少量の測定により、核燃料物質に混合する有機物が完全に分解できたことを確認した。安定化処理後の核燃料物質はSUS製貯蔵容器に収納してバッグアウトし、CPFの貯蔵庫に貯蔵することで一連の安定化処理作業を完了した。今後の廃止措置においても、性状不明な核燃料物質の安定化処理が必要なケースが想定されることから、安定化処理において得られた知見について報告書にまとめる。

Neutron filtering system for fast neutron cross-section measurement at ANNRI

Rovira Leveroni, G.; 岩本 修; 木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 岩本 信之; 遠藤 駿典; 片渕 竜也*; 寺田 和司*; 児玉 有*; 中野 秀仁*; et al.

JAEA-Conf 2021-001, p.156 - 161, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.11484/jaea-conf-2021-001

A neutron filtering system has been designed in order to bypass the double-timed structure of the beam. Filter materials were introduced into the rotary collimator of the ANNRI beamline in order to produce quasi-monoenergetic neutron filtered beams. Filter assemblies consisting of Fe with a thickness of 20 cm, and Si with thicknesses of 20 cm and 30 cm of Si were used separately to produce filtered neutron peaks with energies of 24 keV (Fe) and of 54 and 144 (Si). In this study, the characteristics and performance of the neutron filtering system at ANNRI using Fe and Si determined from both measurements and simulations are presented. The incident neutron flux was tested and analyzed by means of transmission and capture experiments. Moreover, simulations using the PHITS code were performed in order to determine the energy distribution of the integrated filtered peaks and assess the reliability of experimental results. Finally, preliminary results of the capture cross section of Au at the filtered energies of 24, 54 and 144 keV are also presented using the NaI(Tl) spectrometer alongside the neutron filtering system.

A New method to reduce systematic uncertainties of capture cross section measurement using a sample rotation system

児玉 有*; 片渕 竜也*; Rovira Leveroni, G.; 中野 秀仁*; 寺田 和司*; 木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 遠藤 駿典

JAEA-Conf 2021-001, p.162 - 165, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.11484/jaea-conf-2021-001

Precise nuclear data for neutron-induced reactions are necessary for the design of nuclear transmutation systems. Nevertheless, current uncertainties of nuclear data for minor actinide (MA) does not achieve requirements for the design of transmutation facilities. The determination of an incident neutron flux for measurements of neutron capture cross section is one of the main causes that affect the final uncertainty of the cross section results. In the present work, we suggest a new method to reduce systematic uncertainties of capture cross section measurements. The method employs change of the self-shielding effect with sample rotation angle. In capture cross section measurements in ANNRI, a boron sample is placed to determine the incident neutron spectrum by counting 478 keV -ray from the reaction. In this method, the boron sample is tilted with respect to the neutron beam direction, thereby changing the effective area. This results in change of the shapes of time-of-flight (TOF) spectrum of 478 keV -ray from the reaction with the tilted angle. Comparing the difference of the TOF spectra at different angles and assuming the 1/v energy dependence of cross section of the reaction, the area density of the boron sample can be determined without using the sample mass and area. Theoretical and experimental studies on the new method are ongoing. Calculation using Monte Carlo simulation code PHITS were carried out to study the feasibility of the present method. Test experiments using a sample rotation system at ANNRI were also performed.

Measurements of the neutron capture cross section of Am around 23.5 keV

児玉 有*; 片渕 竜也*; Rovira Leveroni, G.; 木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 遠藤 駿典; 岩本 信之; 岩本 修; 堀 順一*; 芝原 雄司*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(11), p.1159 - 1164, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.1943557

The neutron capture cross section of Am was measured with a pulsed neutron beam from a spallation neutron source of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex. A Fe neutron beam filter was used to make the incident neutron beam mono-energetic around 23.5 keV. The neutron capture -rays were detected with a NaI(Tl) detector. The pulse height weighting technique was employed to derive the neutron capture cross section from the pulse height spectrum. The cross section was determined relative to the capture cross section of Au of JENDL-4.0. The neutron capture cross section of Am was determined with a smaller uncertainty than previous measurements. The previous measurements and the JENDL-4.0 cross sections were found to be lower than the present result.

Neutron beam filter system for fast neutron cross-section measurement at the ANNRI beamline of MLF/J-PARC

Rovira Leveroni, G.; 木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 遠藤 駿典; 岩本 修; 岩本 信之; 片渕 竜也*; 寺田 和司*; 児玉 有*; 中野 秀仁*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1003, p.165318_1 - 165318_10, 2021/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165318

A neutron filtering system has been introduced in the Accurate Neutron-Nucleus Reaction Measurement Instrument (ANNRI) beamline in the Material and Life Science (MLF) building of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) in order to produce quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams. The filtered neutron spectrum by the filter assemblies was analyzed by means of capture and transmission measurements and also by Monte Carlo simulations using PHITS. The characteristics of the filtered neutron beam are discussed alongside its viability in future applications for neutron cross-section measurements in the fast neutron region.

A Two-dimensional scintillation neutron detector for TAKUMI diffractometer in J-PARC MLF

中村 龍也; 川崎 卓郎; 藤 健太郎; Harjo, S.; 坂佐井 馨; 相澤 一也

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011097_1 - 011097_6, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011097

J-PARC MLFのTAKUMI回折計のためのシンチレータ2次元中性子検出器を開発した。この検出器モジュールは有感面積3232cmであり従来のSENJU型検出器の1.5倍の面積を有する。TAKUMIの中性子入射スペクトルに対応したシンチレータ厚さの最適化、新開発の高速低ノイズ回路の装填、ヘッド部の光収集効率の改良が施された。この検出器3台からなる1バンクを当該装置の後方散乱位置に配置され高ToF分解能、2次元での回折測定が可能となった。