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Hanno Perrey

assistant director of undergraduate education

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A polyethylene-B4C based concrete for enhanced neutron shielding at neutron research facilities

Author

  • D. D. DiJulio
  • C. P. Cooper-Jensen
  • H. Perrey
  • K. Fissum
  • E. Rofors
  • J. Scherzinger
  • P. M. Bentley

Summary, in English

We present the development of a specialized concrete for neutron shielding at neutron research facilities, based on the addition of hydrogen atoms in the form of polyethylene and also B4C for enhancing the neutron capture properties of the concrete. We show information on the mechanical properties of the concrete and the neutronics, in particular its relevance to modern spallation neutron sources, such as the European Spallation Source (ESS), currently under construction in Lund, Sweden. The new concrete exhibits a 15% lower mass density, a compressible strength of 50% relative to a standard concrete and a significant increase in performance of shielding against MeV neutrons and lower energies. The concrete could find application at the ESS in for example common shielding components, individual beamline shielding and instrument caves. Initial neutronic tests of the concrete, carried out at Lund University, have also verified the performance in the MeV neutron energy range and the results are presented.

Department/s

  • European Spallation Source ESS AB
  • Nuclear physics
  • Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics - Has been reorganised

Publishing year

2017-07-01

Language

English

Pages

41-46

Publication/Series

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Volume

859

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Accelerator Physics and Instrumentation

Keywords

  • Geant4
  • Neutron science
  • Neutron shielding
  • Spallation neutron sources

Status

Published

Project

  • ESS-related Shielding Studies
  • Repository: Source-Testing Facility (STF) Projects

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0168-9002