6533b872fe1ef96bd12d2d3b

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Lead–gold eutectic: An alternative liquid target material candidate for high power spallation neutron sources

Ruggero FrisonMarisa MedardeKazimierz ConderDaniela KiselevPeter ZagyvaiErnests PlatacisSzabina TörökKnud ThomsenYong DaiR. MoormannEkaterina PomjakushinaS. HeinitzJörg NeuhausenDorothea SchumannRobert J. PuźniakL. Zanini

subject

Nuclear and High Energy PhysicsMaterials science010308 nuclear & particles physicsMetallurgyAlloyRadiochemistrychemistry.chemical_elementengineering.material7. Clean energy01 natural sciencesMercury (element)Nuclear Energy and Engineeringchemistry0103 physical sciencesengineeringNeutron sourceGeneral Materials ScienceSpallationNeutronNuclideDecay heat010306 general physicsEutectic system

description

Abstract One of the main technical concerns of Megawatt-class spallation neutron sources is the removal of the heat deposited in the target station. A way to overcome it is to use targets consisting of flowing liquid metals, but the already tested materials – mercury and lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) – are not unproblematic. We show here that another eutectic alloy containing lead and gold (LGE) could be a suitable alternative. Besides a chemical toxicity lower than mercury, this low melting-point alloy has the advantage of being solid at RT. Moreover, it combines a neutron production similar to mercury and LBE with smaller amounts of alpha-emitting nuclides, relieving safety and environmental requirements. Further advantages are a reduced decay heat a few weeks after stopping operation and density variations in the solid state significantly smaller than LBE. Steel corrosion appears to be more important than expected but if it remains manageable, the current research suggests that LGE could be a valuable alternative to LBE and mercury.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2011-04-01Journal of Nuclear Materials
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.01.034