Conceptual design of the beryllium rotating target for the ESS-Bilbao facility

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2013.04.072
• Publication Date: 2013-05-06T15:33:14Z
• Authors: S. Terrón; F. Sordo; M. Magán; A. Ghiglino; F. Martínez; P.J. de Vicente; R. Vivanco; K. Thomsen; J.M. Perlado; F.J. Bermejo; A. Abánades
• Keywords: Target; Materiales; Thermo-mechanical analysis; Neutron source; Compact source; 01 natural sciences; 7. Clean energy; Neutron sources; 0103 physical sciences; ESS-Bilbao; Energía Nuclear; ESS

The ESS-Bilbao facility, hosted by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), envisages the operation of a high-current proton accelerator delivering beams with energies up to 50 MeV. The time-averaged proton current will be 2.25 mA, delivered by 1.5 ms proton pulses with a repetition rate of 20 Hz. This beam will feed a neutron source based upon the Be (p,n) reaction, which will enable the provision of relevant neutron experimentation capabilities. The neutron source baseline concept consists in a rotating beryllium target cooled by water. The target structure will comprise a rotatable disk made of 6061-T6 aluminium alloy holding 20 beryllium plates. Heat dissipation from the target relies upon a distribution of coolant-flow channels. The practical implementation of such a concept is here described with emphasis put on the beryllium plates thermo-mechanical optimization, the chosen coolant distribution system as well as the mechanical behavior of the assembly.