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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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Latest News
High-Temperature neutron flux detectors for Generation IV reactors and SMRs
Curtiss-Wright has successfully tested several full prototypes of a new high temperature neutron flux detector that we have developed to operate at up to 800°C, a necessary feature for many new reactor types. The new detectors are fission ionization chambers and the prototypes were constructed in our own facilities, which we use to manufacture our mature detector designs that operate at up to 600°C in the UK’s AGR fleet. Curtiss-Wright has a comprehensive suite of reactor protection electronics and the new detector is designed to complement our Guardline™ reactor protection system.
A. Kumar, Y. Ikeda, M. A. Abdou, M. Z. Youssef, C. Konno, K. Kosako, Y. Oyama, T. Nakamura, H. Maekawa
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 28 | Number 1 | August 1995 | Pages 99-155
Technical Paper | Fusion Neutronics Integral Experiments — Part I / Blanket Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST95-A30403
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron-induced radioactivity constitutes one of the foremost issues infusion reactor design. Designers have been using radioactivity codes and associated nuclear data libraries for nucleonic designs of fusion reactors. However, in the past, there was hardly any experimental validation of these codes/libraries. An elaborate, experimental program was initiated in 1988 under a U.S. Department of Energy/Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute collaborative program to validate the radioactivity codes/libraries. Measurements of decay gamma spectra from irradiated, high-purity samples of Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn-Cu alloy, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, SS316/AISI316, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Sn, Ta, W, and Pb, among others, have been carried out under D-T neutron fluences ranging from 1.6 × 1010 to 6.1 × 1013 n/cm2 and cooling times ranging from ∼10 min to ∼3 weeks. As many as 14 neutron energy spectra were covered for a number of materials. The analyses of the isotopic activities of the irradiated materials using the activation cross-section libraries of four leading radioactivity codes, i.e., ACT4/THIDA-2, REAC-3, DKR-ICF, and RACC, have shown large discrepancies among the calculations on one hand and between the calculations and the measurements, on the other. Vanadium, Co, Ni, Zn, Zr, Mo, In, Sn, and W each count the largest number of discrepant isotopic activities. It is strongly recommended to continue additional radioactivity experiments under additional neutron energy spectra and large neutron fluence on one hand and to improve activation cross sections related to the problematic isotopic activities on the other. A unique activation cross-section library and associated radioactivity code are also recommended for the best results. In addition to providing detailed results of the status of predictability of individual isotopic activities using the ACT4, REAC-3, DKR-ICF, and RACC activation cross-section libraries, safety factors cum quality factors characterizing each library are presented and discussed. The related issues of confidence level and associated uncertainty are also highlighted. These considerations are of direct practical importance to reactor designers.