PNNL

Abstract

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) purchased and installed a D711 D-T neutron generator (“D-T”) from Thermo Scientific in August 2011. The D-T nominally produces 14 MeV neutrons which are important for research in matters of national security. Fast neutrons provide the capability of harnessing threshold reactions for the production of rare isotopes, which are of interest to radiochemistry groups at PNNL concerned with validating radioanalytical techniques for the separation of these isotopes. Rare fission product isotopes from fast fission of 235U, 238U, and 239Pu are also desired to further develop these techniques. Experiments with 14 MeV neutrons are also of interest because nuclear data for fast fission has not been researched as extensively as it has been for thermal fission. Analyses of these applications require first that the source spectrum be well characterized. Neutron fluences in Fe, Ni, Al, In, and Au were measured in 21 locations near the generator head. STAYSL PNNL and MCNP codes were used to produce flux spectra based on experimental fluences.