Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Comparison of filtering fast neutrons by externally-purchased sapphire crystal (plane 112) and home-made Iranian sapphire crystal (plane 111)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Z. Gholamzadeh 1
R. Ebrahimzadeh 1
S. Shamaleki 2
A. Biganeh 3
H. Saebi 1

1 Reactor and Nuclear Safety Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, P.O.BOX: 14395-836, Tehran – Iran

2 Department of Physics, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Postal Code: 158754416, Tehran – Iran

3 Physics and Accelerators Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, P.O.Box: 11365-8486, Tehran – Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2024.1665.2051
Abstract
Neutron filter crystals are widely used in the nuclear industry, particularly in research reactors. One of the most important crystals used is sapphire crystal, which is grown in several countries to ensure good quality. This research aims to compare the neutron performance of sapphire crystals made in Iran with those of externally supplied crystals. An Am-Be source was used in this study to assess the ability of these sapphire crystals to remove fast neutrons. Additionally, a monochromatic neutron beam was used to study the impact of these crystals on reducing the intensity of the neutron flux. To verify the accuracy of computational codes in simulating the neutron behavior of these filter crystals, the McStas code was utilized. The results of this simulation were then compared with available experimental data. Comparing the experimental results with those published worldwide revealed that the domestically grown crystals performed comparably to the foreign samples. The experimental findings showed that a 2.5 cm sapphire crystal filtered the monochromatic neutron beam with an energy of 0.06 eV by only about 5.5%, and fast neutrons with an energy of more than 200 keV by about 33%. Increasing the crystal thickness to approximately 6 cm increased the filtration of fast neutrons to about 60% and monochromatic neutrons to about 16.5%. Overall, the results of this study indicated that the discrepancies between the simulation and experimental values may be attributed to the lack of detailed information necessary for crystal modeling in the computational code.

Highlights

  1. Wahba M. On The Use of Beryllium as Thermal Neutron Filter. Egypt. J. Sol. 2002;25(2):215-227. Doi:org/10.21608/ejs.2002.150479.

 

  1. Adib M, Kilany M, Habib N, Fathallah M. Neutron Transmission of Single-Crystal Sapphire Filters. 4th Conference on Nuclear and Particle Physic. Fayouni, Egypt. 2003 Oct 11-15.

 

  1. Mildner D.F.R, Arif M, Stone C.A. The Neutron Transmission of Single-Crystal Sapphire Filters. J. AppL Cryst. 1993;26:438-447. Doi: org/10.1107/S0021889893000433.

 

  1. Hawari A.I, Al-Qasir I.I, Mishra K.K. Accurate Simulation of Thermal Neutron Filter Effects In the Design of Research Reactor Beam Applications. PHYSOR 2006; ANS Topical Meeting on Reactor Physics, Organized and hosted by the Canadian Nuclear Society. Vancouver, BC, Canada. 2006 September 10-14.

 

  1. Wilfried Mach I. Installation of a neutron beam instrument at the TRIGA reactor in Vienna. PhD thesis. 2018.

 

  1. https://bnc.hu/tast/.

 

  1. Anh T.T.T, Quyet P.D, Son P.N, Hieu P.B.Q, Sang N.T.M, Vu C.D. Design and simulation of a thermal neutron beam for neutron capture studies at the Dalat research reactor. Communications in Physics. 2023;33(2):185-193. Doi: org/10.15625/0868-3166/17445.

 

  1. Tennant D.C. Performance of a cooled sapphire and beryllium assembly for filtering of thermal neutrons. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1988;59:380-381.

 

  1. Stamatelatos I.E, Messoloras S. Sapphire filter thickness optimization in neutron scattering instruments. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 2000;71(1):70-73.

 

  1. Abdelhamid J, Hamid A, Abdelouahed C, Ouadie K, Abdelhamid S. Generation of thermal scattering cross sections for Sapphire (Al2O3) and Bi Crystal filters used in nuclear facilities. Physics AUC. 2019;29:45-49.

 

  1. Gholamzadeh Z. Computational study of the effect of sapphire neutron filter on reducing the neutron and secondary-gamma dose rate around the main shield of D channel in TRR. Radiation Physics and Engineering. 2023;4(2):25–33. Doi:org/10.22034/ rpe.2022.353820.1099.

 

  1. Gholamzadeh Z, Bavarnegin E, Ebrahimzadeh R, Mokhtari J, Jafari M, Choopan Dastjerdi M.H. Experimental evaluation of transition rate of sapphire crystal for thermal and fast neutrons using MNSR vertical neutron beam line. Heliyon. 2024;10(2):e24160. Doi: org/10.1016/j.heliyon. 2024.e24160.

 

  1. DT5730 Digital Pulse Processing-Pulse Shape Discrimination (DPP-PSD), CAEN user manual UM4380, Rev. 7, April 3rd. 2023.

 

  1. Biganeh A, Azizi M, Kakuee O, Rafi-Kheiri H, Sedaghati Boorkhani M, Ghasemi B. Digital signal processing for neutron-gamma discrimination using a liquid scintillator detector. Journal of Instrumentation. 2003;18(03):03039.

 

  1. Gholamzadeh Z, Ebrahimzadeh R. Investigation of Pyrolytic graphite single-crystal neutron monochromator fine tuning effect on the reflected neutron spectra. ICNST 2024 nuclear conference.

 

  1. https://www.mcstas.org/about/.

 

  1. DiJulio D.D, Hawari A.I. Characteristics and performance of the neutron powder diffractometer at the NC State university PULSTAR reactor. International Conference on the Physics of Reactors “Nuclear Power: A Sustainable Resource, Casino-Kursaal Conference Center, Interlaken, Switzerland. 2008 September 14-19

Keywords

Sapphire crystal
Fast neutron removal
Thermal monochromatic neutron passage
Neutron intensity measurement
Simulation by McStas code
  1. Wahba M. On The Use of Beryllium as Thermal Neutron Filter. Egypt. J. Sol. 2002;25(2):215-227. Doi:org/10.21608/ejs.2002.150479.

 

  1. Adib M, Kilany M, Habib N, Fathallah M. Neutron Transmission of Single-Crystal Sapphire Filters. 4th Conference on Nuclear and Particle Physic. Fayouni, Egypt. 2003 Oct 11-15.

 

  1. Mildner D.F.R, Arif M, Stone C.A. The Neutron Transmission of Single-Crystal Sapphire Filters. J. AppL Cryst. 1993;26:438-447. Doi: org/10.1107/S0021889893000433.

 

  1. Hawari A.I, Al-Qasir I.I, Mishra K.K. Accurate Simulation of Thermal Neutron Filter Effects In the Design of Research Reactor Beam Applications. PHYSOR 2006; ANS Topical Meeting on Reactor Physics, Organized and hosted by the Canadian Nuclear Society. Vancouver, BC, Canada. 2006 September 10-14.

 

  1. Wilfried Mach I. Installation of a neutron beam instrument at the TRIGA reactor in Vienna. PhD thesis. 2018.

 

  1. https://bnc.hu/tast/.

 

  1. Anh T.T.T, Quyet P.D, Son P.N, Hieu P.B.Q, Sang N.T.M, Vu C.D. Design and simulation of a thermal neutron beam for neutron capture studies at the Dalat research reactor. Communications in Physics. 2023;33(2):185-193. Doi: org/10.15625/0868-3166/17445.

 

  1. Tennant D.C. Performance of a cooled sapphire and beryllium assembly for filtering of thermal neutrons. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1988;59:380-381.

 

  1. Stamatelatos I.E, Messoloras S. Sapphire filter thickness optimization in neutron scattering instruments. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 2000;71(1):70-73.

 

  1. Abdelhamid J, Hamid A, Abdelouahed C, Ouadie K, Abdelhamid S. Generation of thermal scattering cross sections for Sapphire (Al2O3) and Bi Crystal filters used in nuclear facilities. Physics AUC. 2019;29:45-49.

 

  1. Gholamzadeh Z. Computational study of the effect of sapphire neutron filter on reducing the neutron and secondary-gamma dose rate around the main shield of D channel in TRR. Radiation Physics and Engineering. 2023;4(2):25–33. Doi:org/10.22034/ rpe.2022.353820.1099.

 

  1. Gholamzadeh Z, Bavarnegin E, Ebrahimzadeh R, Mokhtari J, Jafari M, Choopan Dastjerdi M.H. Experimental evaluation of transition rate of sapphire crystal for thermal and fast neutrons using MNSR vertical neutron beam line. Heliyon. 2024;10(2):e24160. Doi: org/10.1016/j.heliyon. 2024.e24160.

 

  1. DT5730 Digital Pulse Processing-Pulse Shape Discrimination (DPP-PSD), CAEN user manual UM4380, Rev. 7, April 3rd. 2023.

 

  1. Biganeh A, Azizi M, Kakuee O, Rafi-Kheiri H, Sedaghati Boorkhani M, Ghasemi B. Digital signal processing for neutron-gamma discrimination using a liquid scintillator detector. Journal of Instrumentation. 2003;18(03):03039.

 

  1. Gholamzadeh Z, Ebrahimzadeh R. Investigation of Pyrolytic graphite single-crystal neutron monochromator fine tuning effect on the reflected neutron spectra. ICNST 2024 nuclear conference.

 

  1. https://www.mcstas.org/about/.

 

  1. DiJulio D.D, Hawari A.I. Characteristics and performance of the neutron powder diffractometer at the NC State university PULSTAR reactor. International Conference on the Physics of Reactors “Nuclear Power: A Sustainable Resource, Casino-Kursaal Conference Center, Interlaken, Switzerland. 2008 September 14-19

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