Application of a plasma focus-based source for fast neutron and X-ray radiography

Bogolubov, Ye.P.; Koltunov, M.; Lemeshko, B. D.; Mikerov, V. I.; Samosyuk, V.N.; Sidorov, P. P.; Yurkov, D. I.

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2009.01.128

Cited by 17 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…At present, higher repetitive % 100 kA plasma foci are being investigated as portable neutron sources for radiation material science, 3 radiobiology, nuclear medicine (PET radioisotope production, 4 brachytherapy), cargo inspection, 5 improvised-explosive-device detection, 6 etc. In the case of mega-ampere plasma foci, many experimental results were achieved 7-15 and a record yield from the D(d,n) 3 He fusion reaction approached 10 12 neutrons/shot. 16 The further increase of the neutron yield has not been achieved since the pinch current dropped below 2 MA due to a low impedance of low voltage MJ capacitive discharges.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deuterium gas puff Z-pinch at currents of 2 to 3 mega-ampere

et al. 2012

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Deuterium gas-puff experiments have been carried out on the GIT-12 generator at the Institute of High Current Electronics in Tomsk. The emphasis was put on the study of plasma dynamics and neutron production in double shell gas puffs. A linear mass density of deuterium (D2) varied between 50 and 85 μg/cm. Somewhat problematic was a spread of the D2 gas at a large diameter in the central anode–cathode region. The generator operated in two regimes, with and without a plasma opening switch (POS). When the POS was used, a current reached a peak of 2.7 MA with a 200 ns rise time. Without the POS, a current rise time approached 1500 ns. The influence of different current rise times on neutron production was researched. Obtained results were important for comparison of fast deuterium Z-pinches with plasma foci. Average DD neutron yields with and without the POS were about 1011. The neutron yield seems to be dependent on a peak voltage at the Z-pinch load. In all shots, the neutron emission started during stagnation. At the beginning of the neutron production, the neutron emission correlated with soft x-rays and a significant fraction of neutrons could be explained by the thermonuclear mechanism. Nevertheless, a peak of the neutron emission occurred 40 ns after a soft x-ray peak. At this very moment, hard x-rays above 1 MeV were detected and a rapid expansion with a velocity of 3×105 m/s was observed. In the case of the POS, 1 MeV widths of radial neutron spectra implied that there are deuterons with the energy above 200 keV moving in the radial direction. On the basis of D2 gas puff experiments in the 0.3–17 MA region, the neutron yield dependence on a current as Y∝I3.0±0.2 was proposed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deuterium gas puff Z-pinch at currents of 2 to 3 mega-ampere

et al. 2012

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“…Many attempts have been made to enhance the neutron yield from a plasma focus by adjusting different parameters: storage energy, inductance, gas pressure and electrodes (material and geometry) [5]. Moreover, the plasma focus is among the cheapest available neutron generators with unique features of extremely short pulses, and does not have activation problems for storage and handling, which can be used to perform fast neutron radiography and neutron activation analysis [6][7][8][9]. In addition, the plasma focus does not have the radiation hazards associated with the contamination of conventional isotopic radioactive sources [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical experiments on the total D–D fusion neutron yield versus deuterium pressure for different energy plasma focus devices using the Lee model code

Wahbe¹,

Abou-Ali²,

Akel³

et al. 2023

Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion

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Numerical experiments using the Lee model code were carried out to compute the total D-D fusion neutron yield versus initial deuterium pressure for nine different plasma focus devices [PF50, AACS, PF400J, PF2.2, UNU-ICTP, PFZ200, PF24, PF78, Poseidon]. The computed data were compared with the published experimental results. In addition, the maximum discharge current, the pinch current and the pinch ion number density as a function of initial deuterium pressure were discussed as well as their effect on the neutron yield. The optimum pressures that correspond to the maximum neutron yield Yn were obtained for all considered devices, with reference to the specific plasma focus properties. The scaling laws for the D-D fusion neutron production, in terms of storage energies E0 and pinch current Ipinch were derived. The scaling of Yn with Ipinch and E0 over the whole range of investigated energies up to 300 kJ has been obtained as follows: (Y_n~I_pinch^5 ,Y_n~E_0^1.95 ). These laws are important for planning and designing a plasma focus as a potentially powerful pulse neutron source.

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“…When the DPF discharge gas is deuterium or a mixture of deuterium and tritium, neutrons of single energy due to D-D or D-T fusion reactions (D-D 2.45 MeV and D-T 14.1 MeV) are produced [4,5]. These neutrons have high penetration and good neutron activation ability, making DPF an intense pulsed neutron source in various physical experiments, such as active neutron interrogation, neutron photography, pulse activation analysis, neutron probe calibration [6][7][8][9][10]. Besides, DPF can also detect the physical components of bulk materials through secondary gamma or detect special nuclear materials through secondary neutrons generated by pulsed neutrons [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A pulse current generator for dense plasma focus

Xi¹,

Liang²,

Zhang³

et al. 2021

J. Inst.

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A pulse current generator applied in a type of high-yield intense pulsed neutron source, the Dense Plasma Focus (DPF), is designed and developed in this paper. There are three key components in this generator. Each group of capacitors and switches is integrative to meet the DPF's requirements of low circuit inductance. A coaxial multi-channel switch is developed to solve the problems of the switch inductance, the jitter and the electrode erosion. A kind of sectorial plate transmission line is adopted to transfer the high pulse current from the capacitors to the DPF. The following technical parameters of the generator were achieved on dummy load: output current amplitude of ∼560 kA when primary capacitors are charged with 22 kV.

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Application of a plasma focus-based source for fast neutron and X-ray radiography

Cited by 17 publications

References 6 publications

Deuterium gas puff Z-pinch at currents of 2 to 3 mega-ampere

Deuterium gas puff Z-pinch at currents of 2 to 3 mega-ampere

Numerical experiments on the total D–D fusion neutron yield versus deuterium pressure for different energy plasma focus devices using the Lee model code

A pulse current generator for dense plasma focus

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