Laser-driven multi-modal probe beams for nuclear waste inspection

用于核废料检测的激光驱动多模态探测光束

• 批准号: ST/P000142/1
• 负责人: Satyabrata Kar
• 金额: $ 5.16万
• 依托单位: Queen's University Belfast
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2016 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FP000142%2F1
• 关键词: Laser; driven; multi; modal; probe

This proposal aims to develop a revolutionary new tool for the stand-off inspection of nuclear waste packages using laser-driven x-rays and neutron beam pulses. This will be a collaborative project between the University of Bristol's Interface Analysis Centre (IAC), Sellafield Limited, Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and the STFC Central Laser Facility (CLF). By firing an extremely high-energy laser for a very short duration, an intense spot of x-ray radiation is generated and projected towards detector plates. In a similar manner to medical x-rays, any object placed between the bright source of x-rays and either photographic film or digital image plates, is captured in detail. However, because a very high energy is used, imaging of packages containing uranium waste, one of the densest materials on Earth, is possible.Since 1952, Sellafield has been responsible for safe storage and reprocessing of all the UK's nuclear waste. Decades of research and development have resulted in more manageable forms of nuclear waste. However, a number of problems remain, particularly with the ageing 'legacy' nuclear waste that has been stockpiled since the 1960s. Before long term storage in a geological disposal facility is considered, the composition and degradation state of the waste material and containment vessels needs to be established. Due to the radioactivity and dangerous corrosion products formed during storage, a destructive investigation of the waste containers is considered far too hazardous to be performed. Therefore, a non-destructive, stand-off evaluation of the containers is proposed.For a visual inspection of the internals of a nuclear waste package, high-energy x-rays are used to create an image of the sample. Typical means of producing x-rays do not achieve either the resolution required or the energy to penetrate through the large, dense waste containers. Therefore, it has been proposed that the petawatt Vulcan laser at the CLF is utilised to generate the necessary high-energy x-rays required for this analysis.In addition, the Vulcan laser facility is capable of producing a beam of neutrons in parallel with the high-energy x-rays. By probing the waste containers with a neutron beam any fissile material contained inside will undergo a small amount of fission and emit secondary neutrons. Depending on the fissile material that reacts, the emitted neutrons will generate a unique signature which can be used to identify the particular isotope present in the sample. Analysis of this data holds the potential for isotopic quantification, thus identifying the exact quantity of highly radioactive uranium-235 compared to the isotopically different, and far less radioactive, uranium-238.Whilst the initial aims of this proposal are for characterisation of samples via a single-shot approach, the end goal is the development of a system capable of firing up to ten times a second by construction of a small footprint, high-energy DiPOLE laser with the corresponding sensors capable of rapid data acquisition. In anticipation of such a system, one component of this project aims at improving existing detector technology with a focus on rapid image capture and neutron detection.The final section of the project is the production of a business case to pursue the eventual development of a fast firing analysis system to form the basis of a nuclear waste package scanning facility. Much like CT scanning, by rotating the waste container during multiple image acquisition a 3D profile of the contents can be constructed. This technique would allow us to probe deep inside the waste containers and assess their contents in detail without any destructive investigation or disturbance to the potentially toxic, pyrophoric, and radioactive contents. We consider that this technology would have excellent global export potential to other nations producing nuclear waste.

该提案旨在开发一种革命性的新工具，用于使用激光驱动的X射线和中子束脉冲对核废物包装进行隔离检查。这将是布里斯托大学界面分析中心（IAC）、塞拉菲尔德有限公司、贝尔法斯特女王大学（QUB）和STFC中央激光设施（CLF）之间的合作项目。通过在很短的时间内发射极高能量的激光，产生强烈的X射线辐射点并投射到探测器板上。与医学X射线类似，任何放置在X射线光源和摄影胶片或数字图像板之间的物体都被详细捕获。然而，由于使用了非常高的能量，因此可以对含有铀废物的包装进行成像，铀废物是地球上的一种放射性物质。自1952年以来，塞拉菲尔德一直负责安全储存和再处理英国所有的核废物。几十年的研究和开发已经产生了更易于管理的核废料形式。然而，一些问题仍然存在，特别是自20世纪60年代以来储存的老化的“遗留”核废料。在考虑在地质处置设施中长期储存之前，需要确定废物材料和密封容器的成分和降解状态。由于储存期间形成的放射性和危险的腐蚀产物，对废物容器进行破坏性调查被认为太危险而不能进行。因此，提出了一种非破坏性的、远离容器的评估方法。为了对核废料包装的内部进行目视检查，使用高能X射线来创建样品的图像。产生X射线的典型手段既不能达到所需的分辨率，也不能达到穿透大而密集的废物容器的能量。因此，有人建议利用CLF的petawatt Vulcan激光器来产生这种分析所需的高能X射线。此外，Vulcan激光设施能够产生与高能X射线平行的中子束。通过用中子束探测废物容器，里面的任何裂变材料都会发生少量裂变并释放出次级中子。根据发生反应的裂变材料，发射的中子将产生独特的特征，可用于识别样品中存在的特定同位素。对这些数据的分析有可能进行同位素定量，从而确定高放射性铀-235的确切数量，与同位素不同且放射性低得多的铀-238相比。最终目标是通过构造具有能够快速数据采集的相应传感器的小占地面积、高能量DiPOLE激光器来开发能够每秒发射高达10次的系统。该项目的一个组成部分旨在改进现有的探测器技术，重点是快速图像捕获和中子探测。该项目的最后一部分是制作一个商业案例，以最终开发一个快速点火分析系统，作为核废物包装扫描设施的基础。与CT扫描非常相似，通过在多次图像采集期间旋转废物容器，可以构建内容物的3D轮廓。这项技术将使我们能够深入探测废物容器内部，并详细评估其内容，而不会对潜在的有毒，自燃和放射性内容进行任何破坏性调查或干扰。我们认为，这项技术将具有向其他产生核废料的国家出口的极好的全球潜力。

项目成果

Experimental demonstration of a compact epithermal neutron source based on a high power laser

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4994161
• 发表时间: 2017-07
• 期刊: Applied Physics Letters
• 影响因子: 4
• 作者: S. R. Mirfayzi;A. Alejo;H. Ahmed;D. Raspino;S. Ansell;L. Wilson;C. Armstrong;N. M. H. Butler;R. Clarke;A. Higginson;J. Kelleher;C. Murphy;M. Notley;D. Rusby;E. Schooneveld;M. Borghesi;P. McKenna;N. Rhodes;D. Neely;C. Brenner;S. Kar

Proof-of-principle experiment for laser-driven cold neutron source.

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77086-y
• 发表时间: 2020-11-19
• 期刊: Scientific reports
• 影响因子: 4.6
• 作者: Mirfayzi SR;Yogo A;Lan Z;Ishimoto T;Iwamoto A;Nagata M;Nakai M;Arikawa Y;Abe Y;Golovin D;Honoki Y;Mori T;Okamoto K;Shokita S;Neely D;Fujioka S;Mima K;Nishimura H;Kar S;Kodama R
• 通讯作者: Kodama R

Laser-driven x-ray and neutron source development for industrial applications of plasma accelerators

• DOI: 10.1088/0741-3335/58/1/014039
• 发表时间: 2016-01-01
• 期刊: PLASMA PHYSICS AND CONTROLLED FUSION
• 影响因子: 2.2
• 作者: Brenner, C. M.;Mirfayzi, S. R.;Neely, D.
• 通讯作者: Neely, D.

Detector for imaging and dosimetry of laser-driven epithermal neutrons by alpha conversion

通过 α 转换对激光驱动的超热中子进行成像和剂量测定的探测器

• DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/11/10/c10008
• 发表时间: 2016
• 期刊: Journal of Instrumentation
• 影响因子: 1.3
• 作者: Mirfayzi S

Calibration of BAS-TR image plate response to GeV gold ions.

• DOI: 10.1063/5.0079564
• 发表时间: 2022-02
• 期刊: The Review of scientific instruments
• 作者: D. Doria;P. Martin;H. Ahmed;A. Alejo;M. Cerchez;S. Ferguson;J. Fernández-Tobias;J. Green;D. Gwynne;F. Hanton;J. Jarrett;D. Maclellan;A. McIlvenny;P. McKenna;J. A. Ruíz;M. Swantusch;O. Willi;S. Zhai;M. Borghesi;S. Kar