9.4 Conclusions
At KUCA, the ADS experiments with 100 MeV protons were carried out with the
combined use of the KUCA A-core and the FFAG accelerator. The neutronic
characteristics of ADS were investigated through experimental and numerical
analyses of reaction rate distribution and subcriticality.
The thorium-loaded ADS study was conducted as observed by prompt neutron
behavior and reaction rates through kinetic and static experiments, respectively.
Further, experiments of thorium-loaded ADS were successfully carried out in the
subcritical states with the use of an external neutron source (14 MeV neutrons and
100 MeV protons, respectively).
In the future, upcoming ADS experiments with 100 MeV protons could be
carried out at the highly enriched uranium-fueled and Pb-Bi-zoned core of KUCA
to investigate the neutronic characteristics of Pb-Bi solid materials used in the core
and at the target. Also, irradiation experiments of
237 Np and
241 Am could be
conducted in the hard-spectrum core at KUCA to examine the feasibility of reaction
rate ratio (capture/fission) conversion analyses of nuclear transmutation.
Acknowledgments This work was supported by the KUR Research Program for Scientific Basis
of Nuclear Safety from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
(MEXT) of Japan. The authors are grateful to all the technical staff of KUCA for their assistance
during the experiments.
Open Access This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
Noncommercial License, which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in
any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
References
1. Lim JY, Pyeon CH, Yagi T et al (2012) Subcritical multiplication parameters of the
accelerator-driven system with 100 MeV protons at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly.
Sci Technol Nucl Install 395878:9
2. Pyeon CH, Misawa T, Lim JY et al (2009) First injection of spallation neutrons generated by
high-energy protons into the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. J Nucl Sci Technol
46:1091–1093
3. Pyeon CH, Lim JY, Takemoto Y et al (2011) Preliminary study on the thorium-loaded
accelerator-driven system with 100 MeV protons at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly.
Ann Nucl Energy 38:2298–2302
4. Pyeon CH, Azuma T, Takemoto Y et al (2013) Experimental analyses of spallation neutrons
generated by 100 MeV protons at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. Nucl Eng Technol
45:81–88
5. Pyeon CH, Yagi T, Sukawa K et al (2014) Mockup experiments on the thorium-loaded
accelerator-driven system at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. Nucl Sci Eng 177:156
(in press)
6. Lagrange JB, Planche T, Yamakawa E et al (2013) Straight scaling FFAG beam line. Nucl
Instrum Methods A 691:55–63
90
C.H. Pyeon
At KUCA, the ADS experiments with 100 MeV protons were carried out with the
combined use of the KUCA A-core and the FFAG accelerator. The neutronic
characteristics of ADS were investigated through experimental and numerical
analyses of reaction rate distribution and subcriticality.
The thorium-loaded ADS study was conducted as observed by prompt neutron
behavior and reaction rates through kinetic and static experiments, respectively.
Further, experiments of thorium-loaded ADS were successfully carried out in the
subcritical states with the use of an external neutron source (14 MeV neutrons and
100 MeV protons, respectively).
In the future, upcoming ADS experiments with 100 MeV protons could be
carried out at the highly enriched uranium-fueled and Pb-Bi-zoned core of KUCA
to investigate the neutronic characteristics of Pb-Bi solid materials used in the core
and at the target. Also, irradiation experiments of
237 Np and
241 Am could be
conducted in the hard-spectrum core at KUCA to examine the feasibility of reaction
rate ratio (capture/fission) conversion analyses of nuclear transmutation.
Acknowledgments This work was supported by the KUR Research Program for Scientific Basis
of Nuclear Safety from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
(MEXT) of Japan. The authors are grateful to all the technical staff of KUCA for their assistance
during the experiments.
Open Access This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
Noncommercial License, which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in
any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
References
1. Lim JY, Pyeon CH, Yagi T et al (2012) Subcritical multiplication parameters of the
accelerator-driven system with 100 MeV protons at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly.
Sci Technol Nucl Install 395878:9
2. Pyeon CH, Misawa T, Lim JY et al (2009) First injection of spallation neutrons generated by
high-energy protons into the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. J Nucl Sci Technol
46:1091–1093
3. Pyeon CH, Lim JY, Takemoto Y et al (2011) Preliminary study on the thorium-loaded
accelerator-driven system with 100 MeV protons at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly.
Ann Nucl Energy 38:2298–2302
4. Pyeon CH, Azuma T, Takemoto Y et al (2013) Experimental analyses of spallation neutrons
generated by 100 MeV protons at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. Nucl Eng Technol
45:81–88
5. Pyeon CH, Yagi T, Sukawa K et al (2014) Mockup experiments on the thorium-loaded
accelerator-driven system at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. Nucl Sci Eng 177:156
(in press)
6. Lagrange JB, Planche T, Yamakawa E et al (2013) Straight scaling FFAG beam line. Nucl
Instrum Methods A 691:55–63
90
C.H. Pyeon