A 50 MeV, 5mA proton cyclotron is being developed as the injector for a high-current driver for a... more A 50 MeV, 5mA proton cyclotron is being developed as the injector for a high-current driver for an accelerator-driven subcritical fission power system (ADSMS), and also for production of isotopes for medical physics. Two innovations have made it possible to design a cyclotron capable of >5 mA beam current: strong-focusing of the bunches by quadrupole focusing channels integrated on the pole faces of the sector magnets, and superconducting rf accelerating cavities to provide sufficient energy gain per turn to cleanly separate the orbits. Simulation results will be presented for the beam dynamics of the intense proton bunches during injection, acceleration, and extraction. Key features for both applications will be discussed.
Accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS) is being developed as a tech... more Accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS) is being developed as a technology for green nuclear power. ADSMS burns its fertile fuel to completion, it cannot melt down, and it destroys long-lived minor actinides. The ADSMS core consists of a vessel filled with a molten salt eutectic of UCl3 and NaCl. Fission is driven by generating fast neutrons by spallation of energetic protons on spallation targets within the core. Fission heat is transferred from the molten salt to liquid Na in a primary heat exchanger located above the core. A conceptual design for the fluid dynamics and heat transfer in the core and in the heat exchanger will be presented.
The Accelerator Research Lab at Texas A&M University is developing new accelerator technology for... more The Accelerator Research Lab at Texas A&M University is developing new accelerator technology for a high-brightness, high-current cyclotron with capabilities that will be beneficial for applications to accelerator-driven subcritical fission, medical isotope production, and proton therapy. As a first embodiment of the technology, we are developing a detailed design for TAMU-50, a 50 MeV, 5 mA proton cyclotron with high beam brightness. In this presentation we present devices and beamline components for injection, extraction, controls and diagnostics. We emphasize the system integration and implementation of TAMU-50 for production of medical radioisotopes.
A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron is being developed for high current applications. The... more A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron is being developed for high current applications. The ̃1 T sector dipoles incorporate superconducting main windings, and alternating-gradient focusing is provided by ̃6 Tm-1 superconducting beam transport channels along the arced beam trajectory of each orbit of the cyclotron. All windings utilize MgB2 superconductor operating in the temperature window 15-20K. The main dipole windings are fabricated using the react-and-wind method; the beam transport channel windings are fabricated using the wind-and-react method. Previous reports have indicated that even wind and react MgB2 conductors can be irreversibly damaged by bending strain in the unreacted state. To determine the feasibility of MgB2 conductors for the beam transport channel windings, the dependence of critical current on bending radius of commercial wires was measured.
ABSTRACT Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exc... more ABSTRACT Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exchange bias demonstrated uncompensated magnetization in an antiferromagnet. To further investigate the properties and the origin of this magnetization, two types of 36nm thick samples of FeF2 on MgF2 were prepared: with and without a 3nm top layer of Al used to prevent possible oxidation. SQUID VSM measurements on these samples showed uncompensated magnetization. Samples coated with Al were found to have larger magnetic susceptibility. These findings are in agreement with neutron scattering measurements, which also showed the uncompensated magnetization primarily at the top surface of FeF2 for the Al-coated sample. Comparative analysis of the field and temperature-dependent magnetization of the Al-coated and uncoated samples provides insight into the origin of the uncompensated magnetization in FeF2. Funded by Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University -- CONACyT Collaborative Research Grant Program, DOE, and NSF-9976899.
IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 2015
ABSTRACT A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron (SFC) is being developed for high current ap... more ABSTRACT A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron (SFC) is being developed for high current applications. The dipole magnetic field required for isochronous operation is provided by sector magnets utilizing a common warm-iron flux return and levitated cold-iron pole design. The sector magnets utilize MgB2 superconducting cable operating at 15-20 K. The sector dipoles for a 100 MeV SFC were modeled to provide for isochronous operation. The field distribution, fringe fields, forces and torques in the dipole were calculated.
Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exchange bia... more Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exchange bias demonstrated uncompensated magnetization in an antiferromagnet. To further investigate the properties and the origin of this magnetization, two types of 36nm thick samples of FeF2 on MgF2 were prepared: with and without a 3nm top layer of Al used to prevent possible oxidation. SQUID VSM measurements on these samples showed uncompensated magnetization. Samples coated with Al were found to have larger magnetic susceptibility. These findings are in agreement with neutron scattering measurements, which also showed the uncompensated magnetization primarily at the top surface of FeF2 for the Al-coated sample. The temperature dependence and possible origin of the uncompensated magnetization will be discussed. Funded by Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University -- CONACyT Collaborative Research Grant Program.
Presented is a study of uncompensated magnetization in antiferromagnets performed by SQUID and VS... more Presented is a study of uncompensated magnetization in antiferromagnets performed by SQUID and VSM magnetometry, and polarized neutron reflectometry. This uncompensated magnetization is observed and studied as a function of temperature and cooling conditions. Uncompensated magnetization is found close to the top surface of the antiferromagnet (interface with the ferromagnet) and also in the “bulk” of the antiferromagnetic film. It
Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry, 2013
ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fiss... more ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS). ADSMS is capable of destroying all of the transuranics at the same rate and proportion as they are produced in a conventional nuclear power plant. The ADSMS core is fueled solely by transuranics extracted from used nuclear fuel and reduces its radiotoxicity by a factor 10,000. ADSMS offers a way to close the nuclear fuel cycle so that the full energy potential in the fertile fuels uranium and thorium can be recovered.
Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry, 2013
ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fiss... more ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS). ADSMS is capable of destroying all of the transuranics at the same rate and proportion as they are produced in a conventional nuclear power plant. The ADSMS core is fueled solely by transuranics extracted from used nuclear fuel and reduces its radiotoxicity by a factor 10,000. ADSMS offers a way to close the nuclear fuel cycle so that the full energy potential in the fertile fuels uranium and thorium can be recovered.
A 50 MeV, 5mA proton cyclotron is being developed as the injector for a high-current driver for a... more A 50 MeV, 5mA proton cyclotron is being developed as the injector for a high-current driver for an accelerator-driven subcritical fission power system (ADSMS), and also for production of isotopes for medical physics. Two innovations have made it possible to design a cyclotron capable of >5 mA beam current: strong-focusing of the bunches by quadrupole focusing channels integrated on the pole faces of the sector magnets, and superconducting rf accelerating cavities to provide sufficient energy gain per turn to cleanly separate the orbits. Simulation results will be presented for the beam dynamics of the intense proton bunches during injection, acceleration, and extraction. Key features for both applications will be discussed.
Accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS) is being developed as a tech... more Accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS) is being developed as a technology for green nuclear power. ADSMS burns its fertile fuel to completion, it cannot melt down, and it destroys long-lived minor actinides. The ADSMS core consists of a vessel filled with a molten salt eutectic of UCl3 and NaCl. Fission is driven by generating fast neutrons by spallation of energetic protons on spallation targets within the core. Fission heat is transferred from the molten salt to liquid Na in a primary heat exchanger located above the core. A conceptual design for the fluid dynamics and heat transfer in the core and in the heat exchanger will be presented.
The Accelerator Research Lab at Texas A&M University is developing new accelerator technology for... more The Accelerator Research Lab at Texas A&M University is developing new accelerator technology for a high-brightness, high-current cyclotron with capabilities that will be beneficial for applications to accelerator-driven subcritical fission, medical isotope production, and proton therapy. As a first embodiment of the technology, we are developing a detailed design for TAMU-50, a 50 MeV, 5 mA proton cyclotron with high beam brightness. In this presentation we present devices and beamline components for injection, extraction, controls and diagnostics. We emphasize the system integration and implementation of TAMU-50 for production of medical radioisotopes.
A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron is being developed for high current applications. The... more A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron is being developed for high current applications. The ̃1 T sector dipoles incorporate superconducting main windings, and alternating-gradient focusing is provided by ̃6 Tm-1 superconducting beam transport channels along the arced beam trajectory of each orbit of the cyclotron. All windings utilize MgB2 superconductor operating in the temperature window 15-20K. The main dipole windings are fabricated using the react-and-wind method; the beam transport channel windings are fabricated using the wind-and-react method. Previous reports have indicated that even wind and react MgB2 conductors can be irreversibly damaged by bending strain in the unreacted state. To determine the feasibility of MgB2 conductors for the beam transport channel windings, the dependence of critical current on bending radius of commercial wires was measured.
ABSTRACT Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exc... more ABSTRACT Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exchange bias demonstrated uncompensated magnetization in an antiferromagnet. To further investigate the properties and the origin of this magnetization, two types of 36nm thick samples of FeF2 on MgF2 were prepared: with and without a 3nm top layer of Al used to prevent possible oxidation. SQUID VSM measurements on these samples showed uncompensated magnetization. Samples coated with Al were found to have larger magnetic susceptibility. These findings are in agreement with neutron scattering measurements, which also showed the uncompensated magnetization primarily at the top surface of FeF2 for the Al-coated sample. Comparative analysis of the field and temperature-dependent magnetization of the Al-coated and uncoated samples provides insight into the origin of the uncompensated magnetization in FeF2. Funded by Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University -- CONACyT Collaborative Research Grant Program, DOE, and NSF-9976899.
IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 2015
ABSTRACT A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron (SFC) is being developed for high current ap... more ABSTRACT A superconducting strong focusing cyclotron (SFC) is being developed for high current applications. The dipole magnetic field required for isochronous operation is provided by sector magnets utilizing a common warm-iron flux return and levitated cold-iron pole design. The sector magnets utilize MgB2 superconducting cable operating at 15-20 K. The sector dipoles for a 100 MeV SFC were modeled to provide for isochronous operation. The field distribution, fringe fields, forces and torques in the dipole were calculated.
Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exchange bia... more Recent studiesfootnotetextM.R. Fitzsimmons et al. Phys. Rev. B 75, 214412 (2007). of exchange bias demonstrated uncompensated magnetization in an antiferromagnet. To further investigate the properties and the origin of this magnetization, two types of 36nm thick samples of FeF2 on MgF2 were prepared: with and without a 3nm top layer of Al used to prevent possible oxidation. SQUID VSM measurements on these samples showed uncompensated magnetization. Samples coated with Al were found to have larger magnetic susceptibility. These findings are in agreement with neutron scattering measurements, which also showed the uncompensated magnetization primarily at the top surface of FeF2 for the Al-coated sample. The temperature dependence and possible origin of the uncompensated magnetization will be discussed. Funded by Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University -- CONACyT Collaborative Research Grant Program.
Presented is a study of uncompensated magnetization in antiferromagnets performed by SQUID and VS... more Presented is a study of uncompensated magnetization in antiferromagnets performed by SQUID and VSM magnetometry, and polarized neutron reflectometry. This uncompensated magnetization is observed and studied as a function of temperature and cooling conditions. Uncompensated magnetization is found close to the top surface of the antiferromagnet (interface with the ferromagnet) and also in the “bulk” of the antiferromagnetic film. It
Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry, 2013
ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fiss... more ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS). ADSMS is capable of destroying all of the transuranics at the same rate and proportion as they are produced in a conventional nuclear power plant. The ADSMS core is fueled solely by transuranics extracted from used nuclear fuel and reduces its radiotoxicity by a factor 10,000. ADSMS offers a way to close the nuclear fuel cycle so that the full energy potential in the fertile fuels uranium and thorium can be recovered.
Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry, 2013
ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fiss... more ABSTRACT We report the development of a conceptual design for accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS). ADSMS is capable of destroying all of the transuranics at the same rate and proportion as they are produced in a conventional nuclear power plant. The ADSMS core is fueled solely by transuranics extracted from used nuclear fuel and reduces its radiotoxicity by a factor 10,000. ADSMS offers a way to close the nuclear fuel cycle so that the full energy potential in the fertile fuels uranium and thorium can be recovered.
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