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Neutron Transport Simulation (Selected Topics) ARTICLE IN PRESS Radiation Physics and Chemistry ] (]]]]) ]]]–]]] Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Radiation Physics and Chemistry journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/radphyschem Neutron transport simulation (selected topics) P. Vaz Instituto Tecnolo´gico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, P-2686-953 Sacave´m, Portugal article info abstract Neutron transport simulation is usually performed for criticality, power distribution, activation, Keywords: scattering, dosimetry and shielding problems, among others. During the last fifteen years, innovative Neutron technological applications have been proposed (Accelerator Driven Systems, Energy Amplifiers, Transport Spallation Neutron Sources, etc.), involving the utilization of intermediate energies (hundreds of Simulation MeV) and high-intensity (tens of mA) proton accelerators impinging in targets of high Z elements. Deterministic Additionally, the use of protons, neutrons and light ions for medical applications (hadrontherapy) Monte Carlo impose requirements on neutron dosimetry-related quantities (such as kerma factors) for biologically Cross-section relevant materials, in the energy range starting at several tens of MeV. Shielding and activation related problems associated to the operation of high-energy proton accelerators, emerging space-related applications and aircrew dosimetry-related topics are also fields of intense activity requiring as accurate as possible medium- and high-energy neutron (and other hadrons) transport simulation. These applications impose specific requirements on cross-section data for structural materials, targets, actinides and biologically relevant materials. Emerging nuclear energy systems and next generation nuclear reactors also impose requirements on accurate neutron transport calculations and on cross-section data needs for structural materials, coolants and nuclear fuel materials, aiming at improved safety and detailed thermal-hydraulics and radiation damage studies. In this review paper, the state-of-the-art in the computational tools and methodologies available to perform neutron transport simulation is presented. Proton- and neutron-induced cross-section data needs and requirements are discussed. Hot topics are pinpointed, prospective views are provided and future trends identified. & 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction In the high-energy regime, reaction kinematics dramatically changes the cross-section for the production of multiple neutral Accurate simulation of particle transport is closely related to and charged particles. the existence of cross-section data for a required range of energies The need to improve the knowledge of proton- and neutron- and for the different types of particles, interactions and materials induced interaction mechanisms arose from the fact that considered. many innovative applications involved the production of intense Neutron transport simulation has been historically performed neutron fluxes by protons impinging on a thick target of a heavy mainly for the modeling of criticality, power distribution, activation, element (mercury, lead, bismuth, tungsten, uranium, etc.) and scattering, dosimetry and shielding problems, for neutron applica- triggering a cascade of nuclear reactions, often referred to tions in the energy range below 20 MeV. However, in recent years, it as spallation reactions, of the protons themselves as well as of has become necessary to have a description of the (n, xn) reactions the neutrons, and other hadrons (e.g., pions), nuclear fragments and (n, charged) reactions among others in addition to the main (alpha-particles, tritium, deuterium) and photons produced types of neutron interactions (elastic and inelastic scattering, during the successive stages of the cascade. neutron capture, neutron-induced fission). This is due to a number Also contributing to the increasing number of high-energy of new applications involving the radiation field and particles with proton accelerators for fundamental research purposes (High- energies higher them 20 MeV as well as the need to undertake Energy Physics experiments, Spallation Neutron Sources, etc.) was studies from the point if view of radiological protection, and the the different applications from the Nuclear Technology (Accelera- dosimetry of high-energy particles and radiations, namely neutrons. tion Driven Systems for the transmutation of nuclear waste, Energy Amplifier Systems for the production of energy, in Medicine for hadrontherapy) for the purposes of radiation protection, neutron E-mail address: [email protected] dosimetry, shielding design and activation of components and 0969-806X/$ - see front matter & 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.radphyschem.2009.04.022 Please cite this article as: Vaz, P., Neutron transport simulation (selected topics). Radiat. Phys. Chem. (2009), doi:10.1016/ j.radphyschem.2009.04.022 ARTICLE IN PRESS 2 P. Vaz / Radiation Physics and Chemistry ] (]]]]) ]]]–]]] materials and for the assessment of the radiation damage caused to hundreds of MeV (or higher) down to the meV range (or lower). structural materials and the potential modification of their thermal Knowledge of the cross-sections over the whole energy range and mechanical properties, leading to the effective improvement concerned is required. of the description and modeling of proton- and neutron-induced The resonant behavior is another specific characteristic of the reactions. neutron cross-section as a function of energy. The high number The growing degree of awareness of the potential exposure of of resolved resonances in the energy range below a few keV and individuals to high-energy cosmic radiations, a major component the accurate knowledge of the characteristics (peak energy, being in aircraft dosimetry and space dosimetry due to high-energy widths, etc.) of each resonance in the cross-section data libraries and high-LET neutrons, also dictated the need to understand and is an outstanding demonstration of the huge amount of experi- improve the modeling of high-energy hadronic interactions. mental data extensively measured during the last decades. These Medium- and high-energy neutrons impose stringent and characteristics and features of the cross-section for neutron- specific shielding requirements. Deep penetration of neutrons induced processes are displayed in Fig. 1. and the calculation of fluxes and doses deep inside the materials While cross-section data exists below 20 MeV in the evalu- used for shielding are typical examples of computations where ated cross-section data libraries for a very representative set of computing power is not always available and the use of variance nuclides, the situation is very (and for some nuclides dramati- reduction techniques is mandatory. cally) different in the energy range above 20 MeV. As shown In recent years, several solutions for the design of the next below, a number of emerging and technological innovative generation nuclear reactors have been proposed. These nuclear applications have been proposed during the last fifteen years. reactors would operate in non-conventional regime (fast neutrons, Some of these are currently in the detailed design phase, higher temperatures and innovative fuels) and would impose while others have already been engineered and implemented. requirements on accurate 3-D and time-dependent neutron trans- The majority of such systems involve the manipulation of port calculations and on cross-section data needs for structural unprecedented high neutron fluxes and the consideration of materials, coolants and fuels, aiming at improved safety and neutron spectra above 20 MeV, or even as high as a few GeV. detailed thermal-hydraulics and radiation damage studies. The acquisition of the neutron interaction cross-sections in this For the design, project and deployment of equipments very high-energy range became therefore an issue of major and infrastructures involving the operation and manipulation concern, in view of the lack of data for these energy ranges for a of these proton beams and neutron fluxes, the uncertainty analysis number of structural materials of relevance for many technolo- studies performed clearly showed that the high uncertainty (often gical applications as well as for the biologically relevant materials, several tens of percent) of the existing cross-section data and on the used in radiation protection and dosimetry issues. predictive power of the theoretical models, would affect the In addition, for a representative subset of nuclides, present in confidence bounds of predictions meaning the application of larger the evaluated data libraries, the cross-section data showed safety margins in the dimensioning of shielding elements, the safety significant discrepancies between different evaluations namely assessment and therefore the construction and operation costs of for actinides and structural materials. the system. A major effort was therefore undertaken during the last decade In the present paper, the specific issues and characteristics of on an international scale, in order to encourage the experimental the neutron interactions with matter will be firstly described measurements for data above 20 MeV up to a few hundreds of through the analysis of the behavior of the cross-sections of MeV and/or compilation and evaluation of existing data sets. selected nuclides. Afterwards, a description of the innovative These data were made available through the major cross-section and emerging applications requiring accurate neutron transport
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