Development of an in-situ characterisation facility for both proton and neutron irradiation

核研究是国家能源战略的基础，在减少世界二氧化碳排放方面发挥着关键作用。目前世界上占主导地位的核反应堆是压水堆（PWR），它使用轻水冷却剂在高温高压下运行，例如英国的Sizewell B和Hinkley Point C。然而，第四代反应堆将有更高的工作温度，超临界水冷堆（SCWR）和熔盐堆（MSR）就是其中的两个。压水堆和第四代反应堆都在高温、高应力和腐蚀性环境等极端条件下运行。然而，最重要的是，反应堆必须同时承受不可避免的辐射损害。因此，为了评估这些反应堆的可靠性和寿命，在相关的使用条件下（例如在辐照下）进行结构材料的机械和腐蚀性能是至关重要的。自DIDO试验堆退役以来，英国没有合适的中子源进行材料辐照和试验。伯明翰大学有一个高能质子源（MC40回旋加速器）和一个基于加速器的强中子源正在开发中。在伯明翰辐照设施的基础上，该提案将开发一套世界独特的表征设备，用于评估同时辐照下核材料的机械性能和耐腐蚀性，提供一系列目前不存在的重要能力。拟议中的设施将使解决一系列科学挑战成为可能。它将使工业界和大学能够在压水堆、SCWR和MSR条件下研究应力腐蚀开裂，以评估英国许多大学目前正在开发的新型核（核裂变和核聚变）材料。这种新能力将使英国和国际核研究界广泛受益。拟议的设施可以在同时辐照或不同时辐照的情况下运行，因此将具有高占空比，并加强英国核材料研究能力。

Nuclear research underpins the national energy strategy and plays a critical role in reducing the world's CO2 emissions. The currently world dominant nuclear reactor is the pressurised water-cooled reactors (PWR) which operates at high temperature and pressure using light water coolant, such as those at Sizewell B and Hinkley Point C in the UK. However, Generation IV reactors will have even higher operating temperatures and the Super-critical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) and molten salt reactor (MSR) are two of them.Both PWR and Generation IV reactors operate under extreme conditions such as high temperature, high stress and corrosive environments. Most importantly however, is the inevitable irradiation damage which the reactors must simultaneously endure. Therefore, to assess the reliability and lifetime of these reactors it is critical that the mechanical and corrosion performance of structural materials are conducted under relevant service conditions (e.g. under irradiation). Since the decommissioning of DIDO test reactors, there is no suitable neutron sources in the UK for materials irradiation and testing. The University of Birmingham has a high energy proton source (MC40 Cyclotron) and an accelerator-based intense neutron source under development. Building on the Birmingham irradiation facility, this proposal will develop a suite of world unique characterisation equipment for assessing the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of nuclear materials under simultaneous irradiation, offering a range of important capabilities that currently do not exist. The proposed facility will enable the tackling of a range of scientific challenges. It will enable the industry and universities to study the stress corrosion cracking under both PWR, SCWR and MSR conditions, to evaluate the new nuclear (both nuclear fission and fusion) materials currently being developed in many UK universities. The novel capabilities will benefit the wide UK and international nuclear research community. The proposed facility can be operated with or without simultaneous irradiation, thus will have a high duty cycle and strengthen the UK nuclear material research capacity.