EXPERIMENTS ON NEUTRONS TRANSMISSION THROUGH LITHIUM HYDRIDE LAYERS-7 IN URANIUM MULTIPLYING SYSTEM WITH NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS

Abstract

The paper provides the precision experimental results on fission spectrum neutrons transmission through lithium hydride layers-7 with neutron activation analysis. The experiments were performed in Zababakhin All-Russia Research Institute of Technical Physics” on a critical assembly stand FKBN 2. A cylindrical multiplying system (MS) made of high enriched uranium was used as a source of fission spectrum neutrons. Activation integrals of neutron activation detectors (NADs) located at different points of the composite lithium-7 hydride reflector face-mounted on the cylindrical uranium MS were determined in the experiments. NADs based on nickel, indium, titanium, aluminum and copper were used. NADs of different types were exposed to radiation at power ~25-30 W during 1-1,5 hours. Nickel NAD was used as a monitor. Activation integrals absolute measurement error was determined by a certified technique and ranged from ~4 to ~8 % (2σ). Relative measurement error was determined by statistical accuracy, instrument peaks software processing correctness and was found not to exceed 5,4 % (2σ). Using the data obtained, spectral indices (the ratio of the normalized values of the activation integrals of various detectors types to the one of nickel detector), which provide information on the neutron spectrum were determined.