The EURISOL Multi‐MW Target Unit: Neutronics, Dose Rate, Shielding and Activation Calculations

The EURISOL (The EURopean Isotope Separation On‐Line Radioactive Ion Beam) project aims at designing a facility for producing high intensity radioactive ion beams, with unprecedented (two to three orders of magnitude higher) intensities, compared to the majority of the worldwide existing RIB facilities. For this purpose, a proton beam of energy 1 GeV and intensity up to 4 mA impinges on a liquid mercury target (the converter). The high neutron fluxes (in excess of 1015 n cm−2 s−1) produced by spallation nuclear reactions in the converter induce fission on 235U targets surrounding the liquid mercury converter. In order to attain the intended high intensity radioactive ion beams, the appropriate configuration (geometry and materials) of the target unit components (converter, fission targets, moderators, reflectors) must be determined, to attain the highest possible fission rates in the uranium targets (in excess of 1015 fissions per second). The extremely high neutron and photon fluxes resulting from the op...