Document Type

Report

Publication Date

12-23-2001

First page number:

1

Last page number:

23

Abstract

The national development of technology to transmute nuclear waste depends upon the generation of high energy neutrons produced by proton spallation. Proton accelerators, such as LANSCE at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, are capable of producing 800 MeV protons. By bombarding a lead/bismuth target, each proton may generate 500 or more neutrons that can activate fission products or induce the fission of transuranic isotopes.

The Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX developed at LANL is an important tool in the design of transmuter technology. It must be validated, however, for the neutron energy that will be employed. Experiments are being conducted at LANSCE to test the ability of MCNPX to accurately predict neutron production and leakage rates from lead/bismuth targets. Students at UNLV are being educated in the use of MCNPX to analyze the results of these tests and to use the software to in the development of future experimental studies.

Keywords

Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended (MCNPX); Neutron flux; Neutrons; Radiative transfer; Radioactive wastes — Transmutation; Spallation (Nuclear physics); Spent reactor fuels

Controlled Subject

Neutron flux; Particles (Nuclear physics); Radioactive wastes--Transmutation

Disciplines

Nuclear | Nuclear Engineering | Oil, Gas, and Energy

File Format

pdf

File Size

210 KB

Language

English

Download


Share

COinS