Evaluation of tritium production rate in a blanket mock-up using a compact fusion neutron source

Abstract

We report a neutronics study of a blanket mock-up using a discharge-type compact fusion neutron source. Deuterium–deuterium fusion neutrons were irradiated to the mock-ups composed of tritium breeder and neutron reflector/moderator. The tritium production rate (TPR) per source neutron was measured by a single-crystal diamond detector with a 6Li-enriched lithium fluoride film convertor after the calibration process. Despite the low neutron yield, energetic alpha and triton particles via 6Li(n, t)α neutron capture as well as 12C via elastic scattering were successfully detected by the SDD with high signal to noise ratios. The TPRs were experimentally evaluated with errors of 8.4%–8.5% at the 1σ level at the positions with high thermal neutron fluxes where the errors were dominantly introduced by uncertainties in the monitoring of the neutron production rate. The calculated to experimental (C/E) values of TPR were evaluated to be 0.91–1.27 (FENDL-2.1) and 0.94–1.28 (FENDL-3.1). As the neutron source can generate 14 MeV neutrons using a mixed gas of deuterium and tritium, this approach provides more opportunities for blanket neutronics experiments.