• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권7호
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• pp.921-928
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• 2013

A future nuclear energy system is being developed at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), the system involves a Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) linked with the pyro-process. The pyro-process produces a source material to fabricate a SFR fuel rod. Therefore, an isotopic fissile content assay is very important for fuel rod safety and SFR economics. A new technology for an analysis of isotopic fissile content has been proposed using a lead slowing down spectrometer (LSDS). The new technology has several features for a fissile analysis from spent fuel: direct isotopic fissile assay, no background interference, and no requirement from burnup history information. Several calculations were done on the designed spectrometer geometry: detection sensitivity, neutron energy spectrum analysis, neutron fission characteristics, self shielding analysis, and neutron production mechanism. The spectrum was well organized even at low neutron energy and the threshold fission chamber was a proper choice to get prompt fast fission neutrons. The characteristic fission signature was obtained in slowing down neutron energy from each fissile isotope. Another application of LSDS is for an optimum design of the spent fuel storage, maximization of the burnup credit and provision of the burnup code correction factor. Additionally, an isotopic fissile content assay will contribute to an increase in transparency and credibility for the utilization of spent fuel nuclear material, as internationally demanded.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.67-72
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• 1970

250kw로 운전중에 있는 TRIGA MARK-II의 중심공에서 threshold deector를 사용하여 고속중성자속과 스펙토륨을 측정하였다. 이 측정에는 다음과 같은 반응을 이용하였다. 즉 Ni$^{58}$ (n,p) Co$^{58}$ ； $Mg^{24}$ (n,p) $Na^{24}$ ； $Al^{27}$ (n, $\alpha$) $Na^{24}$ . 반응에서 측정된 실험결과로부터 반실험적인 방법에 의하여 CDC-3600계산기를 이용하여 고속중성자의 스펙토륨과 중성자속을 계산하였다. 중심공에서는 분열 스펙토륨의 가정이 1 내지 2Mev 이상에서만 타당하다는 것이 밟혀졌다. 이 스펙토륨을 이용하여 2.6Mev 이상의 고속중심자속은 1$\times$$10^{12}$ n/$\textrm{cm}^2$-sec 정도가 됨을 관측하였다.

• 분석과학
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.69-81
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• 2022

The method of measuring and classifying the energy category of neutrons directly using raw data acquired through a CZT detector is not satisfactory, in terms of accuracy and efficiency, because of its poor energy resolution and low measurement efficiency. Moreover, this method of measuring and analyzing the characteristics of low-energy or low-activity gamma-ray sources might be not accurate and efficient in the case of neutrons because of various factors, such as the noise of the CZT detector itself and the influence of environmental radiation. We have therefore developed an efficient method of analyzing radiation characteristics using a neutron and gamma-ray analysis algorithm for the rapid and clear identification of the type, energy, and radioactivity of gamma-ray sources as well as the detection and classification of the energy category (fast or thermal neutrons) of neutron sources, employing raw data acquired through a CZT detector. The neutron analysis algorithm is based on the fact that in the energy-spectrum channel of 558.6 keV emitted in the nuclear reaction ¹¹³Cd + ¹n → ¹¹⁴Cd + in the CZT detector, there is a notable difference in detection information between a CZT detector without a PE modulator and a CZT detector with a PE modulator, but there is no significant difference between the two detectors in other energy-spectrum channels. In addition, the gamma-ray analysis algorithm uses the difference in the detection information of the CZT detector between the unique characteristic energy-spectrum channel of a gamma-ray source and other channels. This efficient method of analyzing radiation characteristics is expected to be useful for the rapid radiation detection and accurate information collection on radiation sources, which are required to minimize radiation damage and manage accidents in national disaster situations, such as large-scale radioactivity leak accidents at nuclear power plants or nuclear material handling facilities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.1406-1413
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• 2022

In this study, a diamond-based neutron scatter camera (DNSC) was developed for neutron spectroscopy in high flux environments. The DNSC was evaluated experimentally and through simulations. It was simulated using several Monte Carlo codes in a two-array layout. The two-array model included two diamond detectors. The simulation reconstructed the spectra of ²⁵²Cf and ²³⁹Pu-Be neutron sources with high accuracy (~93%). The two-diamond array system was experimentally evaluated, demonstrating the neutron spectroscopy capabilities of the DNSC. The reconstructed spectrum of the ²³⁹Pu-Be source manifested the characteristic peaks of the source. The advantage of a DNSC over a NSC is its ability to define any neutron double-scattering events without the need to absorb incident neutrons in the second detector, and atomic recoil energy information is not needed to determine the incident neutron energy.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.280-285
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• 1983

핵분열 중성자스펙트럼이 원자로핵계산에 미치는 영향을 고속임계로심의 임계계산을 통해 다각적으로 분석하였다. 검토된 내용은 Maxwell식과 Watt-Cranberg 형의 식 적용, 영역별 스펙트럼자료의 적용, Maxwell식에서 핵온도 선정에 따른 효과, 우라늄과 풀루토늄의 가중평균된 스펙트럼자료의 적용, 노심내 전에너지에 따른 핵온도를 고려한 스펙트럼자료의 적용 등이다.

• 천문학회보
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.54.2-54.2
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• 2019

Mass and radius of a neutron star in low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) can be estimated simultaneously when the observed light curve and spectrum show the photospheric radius expansion feature. This method has been applied to 4U 1746-37 and the mass and radius were found to be unusually small in comparison with typical neutron stars. We re-estimate the mass and radius of this target by considering that the observed light curve and spectrum can be affected by other X-ray sources because this LMXB belongs to a very crowded globular cluster NGC 6441. The new estimation increases the mass and radius but they do not reach the typical values yet.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1997년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(1)
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• pp.125-130
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• 1997

Effect of cross-section libraries on displacements per atom (dpa) was investigated under the spectrum which is calculated in the outer and inner of capsule in the JMTR fuel region. The variation of dpa value of iron was calculated by TENJIN2 code using several cross section libraries (ENDFB-lV, JENDL 3.1 and JENDL 3.2). The dependency of input spectrum on total damage (dpa) is more clearly appeared in case or ENDFB-IV in JENDL 3.2 and JENDL 3.1 libraries. The gas production rate calculated by ENDFB-IV library showed slightly larger value than that by JENDL library, and it responded more sensitively in neutron spectrum.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권12호
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• pp.4067-4071
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• 2021

The ¹³C (α,n)¹⁶O reaction cross-section is important data for nuclear physics, astrophysical, and neutrino physics experiments, however, they exhibit uncertainties due to the discrepancies in the experimental data. In this study, using the Nedis-2m program code, the energy spectrum of α-induced neutrons in a thin carbon target was calculated and the corresponding reaction cross-section was refined in the alpha particle energy range of 5-8 MeV. The results were used to calculate the intensity and energy spectrum of background neutrons produced in the liquid scintillator of KamLAND. The results will be useful in a variety of astrophysical and neutrino experiments especially those based on LS or Gd-LS detectors.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.185-190
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• 2016

Background: In order to measure neutron energy spectra, the conventional Bonner Sphere Spectrometers (BSS) are widely used. In this spectrometer, several measurements with different size Bonner spheres are required. Operators should, therefore, place these spheres in several times to a measurement point where radiation dose might be relatively high. In order to reduce this effort, novel neutron energy spectrometer using an onion-like single Bonner sphere was proposed in our group. This Bonner sphere has multiple sensitive spherical shell layers in the single sphere. In this spectrometer, a band-shaped thermal neutron detection medium, which consists of a LiF-ZnS mixed powder scintillator sheet and a wavelength-shifting (WLS) fiber readout, was looped to each sphere at equal angular intervals. Amount of LiF neutron converter is reduced near polar region, where the band-shaped detectors are concentrated, in order to uniform the directional sensitivity. The LiF-ZnS mixed powder has an advantage of extremely high light yield. However, since it is opaque, scintillation photons cannot be collect uniformly. This type of detector shows no characteristic shape in the pulse height spectrum. Subsequently, it is difficult to set the pulse height discrimination level. This issue causes sensitivity fluctuation due to gain instability of photodetectors and/or electric modules. Materials and Methods: In order to solve this problem, we propose to replace the LiF-ZnS mixed powder into a flexible and Transparent RUbber SheeT type $LiCaAlF_6$ (TRUST LiCAF) scintillator. TRUST LiCAF scintillator can show a peak shape corresponding to neutron absorption events in the pulse height spectrum. Results and Discussion: We fabricated the prototype detector with five sensitive layers using TRUST LiCAF scintillator and conducted basic experiments to evaluate the directional uniformity of the sensitivity. Conclusion: The fabricated detector shows excellent directional uniformity of the neutron sensitivity.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.74-80
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• 2008

The local structure of defects in undoped, Si-doped, and neutron irradiated free standing GaN bulk crystals, grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy, has been investigated by employing electron magnetic resonance(EMR), Raman scattering and cathodoluminescence. The GaN samples were irradiated to a dose of $2{\times}10^{17}$ neutrons in an atomic reactor at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. There was no appreciable change in the Raman spectra for undoped GaN samples before and after neutron irradiation. However, a forbidden transition, $A_1$(TO) mode, appeared for a neutron irradiated Si-doped GaN crystal. Cathodoluminescence spectrum for the neutron irradiated Si-doped GaN crystal became much broader or was much more broadened than that for the unirradiated one. The observed EMR center with the g value of 1.952 in a neutron irradiated Si-doped GaN may be assigned to a Si-related complex donor.