Monte Carlo simulations and experimental results on neutron production in the uranium spallation target QUINTA irradiated with 660 MeV protons.

The activation experiment was performed using the accelerated beam of Phasotron accelerator at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR). The natural uranium spallation target QUINTA was irradiated with protons with energy 660 MeV. Monte Carlo simulations of neutron production were performed using the Geant4 code. The number of leakage neutrons from the sections of the uranium target surrounded by the lead shielding and the number of leakage neutrons from lead were determined. The total number of fissions in the setup QUINTA was determined. Experimental values of reaction rates for the produced nuclei in the 127I sample were obtained and several values of reaction rates were compared with the results of simulations. Experimentally determined fluence of neutrons in energy interval 10-175 MeV using the (n,xn) reactions in the 127I(NaI) sample was compared with the results of simulations. Possibility of transmutation of the long-lived radionuclide 129I in the QUINTA setup was estimated.

Study of secondary neutron interactions with ²³²Th, ¹²9I, and ¹²7I nuclei with the uranium assembly "QUINTA" at 2, 4, and 8 GeV deuteron beams of the JINR Nuclotron accelerator.

The natural uranium assembly, "QUINTA", was irradiated with 2, 4, and 8GeV deuterons. The (232)Th, (127)I, and (129)I samples have been exposed to secondary neutrons produced in the assembly at a 20-cm radial distance from the deuteron beam axis. The spectra of gamma rays emitted by the activated (232)Th, (127)I, and (129)I samples have been analyzed and several tens of product nuclei have been identified. For each of those products, neutron-induced reaction rates have been determined. The transmutation power for the (129)I samples is estimated. Experimental results were compared to those calculated with well-known stochastic and deterministic codes.

A study of non-elastic reaction rates for the ADS materials in the environment of spallation neutrons produced by 1.6 GeV d-beam.

For the design and modeling of Accelerator Driven sub-critical System (ADS) a detailed study of response of ADS materials to the spallation neutrons is required. For this purpose reaction rates of different reactions like (n, xn) and (n, xnyp) in 209Bi, natMo, 56Fe, natNi, 55Mn, natTi and natCo materials are determined in an experiment conducted at Nuclotron of JINR, Dubna, using 1.6 GeV d-beam in the 'Energy+Transmutation' set-up. Reaction rates of various (n, xn) and (n, xnyp) reactions are studied in these samples. Results of reaction rates deduced from all the gamma peaks observed in case of 209Bi (n, xn) reactions with x=3-9, natMo (n, γ), (n, 3n), (n, 6n), 56Fe (n, p), (n, p2n), (n, p4n), natNi (n, 2n), (n, 3n), (n, p), (n, d), (n, t), 55Mn (n, γ), (n, 2n), (n, 4n), natTi (n, p), (n, d), (n, t) and natCo (n, γ), (n, xn) reactions with x=2-5 along with (n, p), (n, 2p2n), (n, 2p4n) and (n, 2p6n) are presented. The measured reaction rates for all the elements show good consistency for all the reaction channels and all observed Eγ's of the product nucleus. For all the above mentioned reactions, both experimental as well as theoretical spectrum average cross-sections (σsp.av.cs) are deduced and compared. A close agreement is found between the experimental σsp.av.cs and theoretical σsp.av.cs values.