Determination of Neutron Fluxes and Spectrum Shaping Factors in Irradiation Sites of Ghana’S Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (mnsr) by Activation Method After Compensation of Loss of Excess Reactivty

R.B.M. Sogbadji, B.J.B. Nyarko, E.H.K. Akaho, R. G. Abrefah

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Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, National Nuclear Research Institute, P.O. Box LG80, Legon, Ghana.

DOI: 10.4236/wjnst.2011.12009                

Abstract

Accurate neutron flux values in irradiation channels of research reactors are very essential to their usage. The total neutron flux of the Ghana Research Reactor-1(GHARR-1) was measured after a beryllium reflector was added to its shim to compensate for excess reactivity loss. The thermal, epithermal and fast neutron fluxes were determined by the method of foil activation. The experimental samples with and without a cadmium cover of 1-mm thickness were irradiated in the isotropic neutron field of the irradiation sites of Ghana Research Reactor-1 facility. The induced activities in the sample were measured by gamma ray spectrometry with a high purity germanium detector. The necessary correction for gamma attenuation, thermal neutrons and resonance neutron self-shielding effects were taken into account during the experimental analysis. By defining cadmium cutoff energy of 0.55eV, Al-0.1% Au wires of negligible thickness were irradiated at 3kW to determine the neutron fluxes of two irradiation channels, outer channel 7 and inner channel 2 whose Neutron Shaping Factor (α) were found to be (0.037 ± 0.001) and (–0.961 ± 0.034). The neutron flux ratios at the inner irradiation site 2 were found to be, (25.308 ± 3.201) for thermal to epithermal neutrons flux, (0.179 ± 0.021) for epithermal to fast neutrons flux and (4.528 ± 0.524) for thermal to fast neutrons flux, in the outer irradiation site 7, the neutron flux ratios were found to be, (40.865 ± 3.622) for thermal to epithermal neutrons flux, (0.286 ± 0.025) for epithermal to fast neutrons flux and (11.680 ± 1.030) for thermal to fast neutrons flux.

Keywords

Fluence Rate, Foil Activation, Neutron Self-Shielding, Flux Ratio

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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