Neutronics analysis of a subcritical blanket system driven by a gas dynamic trap-based fusion neutron source for ^(99)Mo production

Gamma-emitting radionuclide ^(99m)Tc is globally used for the diagnosis of various pathological conditions owing to its ideal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) characteristics.However,the short half-life of ^(99m)Tc (T_(1/2)=6 h)makes it difficult to store or transport.Thus,the production of ^(99m)Tc is tied to its parent radionuclide ^(99)Mo (T_(1/2)=66 h).The major production paths are based on accelerators and research reactors.The reactor process presents the potential for nuclear proliferation owing to its use of highly enriched uranium (HEU).Accelerator-based methods tend to use deuterium–tritium(D–T) neutron sources but are hindered by the high cost of tritium and its challenging operation.In this study,a new ^(99)Mo production design was developed based on a deuterium–deuterium (D–D) gas dynamic trap fusion neutron source (GDT-FNS) and a subcritical blanket system (SBS) assembly with a low-enriched uranium (LEU) solution.GDT-FNS can provide a relatively high-neutron intensity,which is one of the advantages of ^(99)Mo production.We provide a Monte Carlo-based neutronics analysis covering the calculation of the subcritical multiplication factor (k_(s)) of the SBS,optimization design for the reflector,shielding layer,and ^(99)Mo production capacity.Other calculations,including the neutron flux and nuclear heating distributions,are also provided for an overall evaluation of the production system.The results demonstrated that the SBS meets the nuclear critical safety design requirement (k_(s)<0.97) and maintained a high ^(99)Mo production capacity.The proposed system can generate approximately 157 Ci ^(99)Mo for a stable 24 h operation with a neutron intensity of 1×10^(14) n/s,which can meet 50%of China’s demand in 2025.

Physics Analysis and Optimization Studies for a Fusion Neutron Source Based on a Gas Dynamic Trap

To further investigate the fusion neutron source based on a gas dynamic trap （GDT）, characteristics of the GDT were analyzed and physics analyses were made for a fusion neutron source based on the GDT concept. The prior design of a GDT-based fusion neutron source was optimized based on a refreshed understanding of GDT operation. A two-step progressive development route of a GDT-based fusion neutron source was suggested. Potential applications of GDT are discussed. Preliminary analyses show that a fusion neutron source based on the GDT concept is suitable for plasma-material interaction research, fusion material and subcomponent testing, and capable of driving a proof-of-principle fusion fission hybrid experimental facility.

Microfluidic-based single cell trapping using a combination of stagnation point flow and physical barrier

Single cell trapping in vitro by microfluidic device is an emerging approach for the study of the relationship between single cells and their dynamic biochemical microenvironments. In this paper, a hydrodynamic-based microfluidic device for single cell trapping is designed using a combination of stagnation point flow and physical barrier.The microfluidic device overcomes the weakness of the traditional ones, which have been only based upon either stagnation point flows or physical barriers, and can conveniently load dynamic biochemical signals to the trapped cell. In addition, it can connect with a programmable syringe pump and a microscope to constitute an integrated experimental system.It is experimentally verified that the microfluidic system can trap single cells in vitro even under flow disturbance and conveniently load biochemical signals to the trapped cell. The designed micro-device would provide a simple yet effective experimental platform for further study of the interactions between single cells and their microenvironments.

Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics （volume of fluid） modelling coupled with a stochastic discrete phase model for the performance analysis of an invert trap experimentally validated using field sewer solids

Invert traps are used to trap sewer solids flowing into a sewer drainage system, The performance of the invert trap in an open rectangular channel was experimentally and numerically analysed using field sewer solids collected from a sewer drain. Experiments showed that the free water surface rises over the central opening （slot） of the invert trap, which reduces the velocity near the slot and allows more sediment to be trapped in comparison with the case for the fixed-lid model （assuming closed conduit flow with a shear-free top wall） used by earlier investigators. This phenomenon cannot be modelled using a closed conduit model as no extra space is provided for the fluctuation of the water surface, whereas this space is provided in the volume of fluid （VOF） model in the form of air space in ANSYS Fluent 14.0 software. Additionally, the zero atmospheric pressure at the free water surface cannot be modelled in a fixed-lid model. In the present study, experimental trap efflciencies of the invert trap using field sewer solids were fairly validated using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model （VOF model） coupled with a stochastic discrete phase model. The flow field （i.e., velocities） predicted by the VOF model were compared with experimental velocities obtained employing particle image velocimetry. The water surface profile above the invert trap predicted by the VOF model was found to be in good agreement with the experimentally measured profile. The present study thus showed that the VOF model can be used with the stochastic discrete phase model to well predict the performance of invert traps.

Effect of grain boundary structures on the behavior of He defects in Ni:An atomistic study

We investigated the effect of grain boundary structures on the trapping strength of HeN（N is the number of helium atoms） defects in the grain boundaries of nickel. The results suggest that the binding energy of an interstitial helium atom to the grain boundary plane is the strongest among all sites around the plane. The He_N defect is much more stable in nickel bulk than in the grain boundary plane. Besides, the binding energy of an interstitial helium atom to a vacancy is stronger than that to a grain boundary plane. The binding strength between the grain boundary and the HeN defect increases with the defect size. Moreover, the binding strength of the HeN defect to the Σ3（112）[110] grain boundary becomes much weaker than that to other grain boundaries as the defect size increases.