A brief introduction to NAA facilities of China Advance Research Reactor at CIAE

Abstract

China Advance Research Reactor (CARR) at China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE), with a non-perturbed maximum thermal neutron flux of 1 × 1015 cm−2 s−1 at the center of active area, is one of the most powerful research reactors in the world. Three neutron channels have been allocated for conventional neutron activation analysis (NAA), thermal neutron prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) and cold neutron PGAA, respectively. Two irradiation tube systems are installed in the conventional NAA channel. One of them is for short irradiation with the rabbit size of diameter (Φ)19 × 40 mm, the other one is for long irradiation with the rabbit size of Φ39 × 70 mm. The medium temperature is about 45 °C and the thermal neutron flux is about 3 × 1014 cm−2 s−1 at sample positions. The flux gradient is expected to be very small according to the designed neutron flux distribution. Pneumatic systems are used for samples transfer. The speed of rabbits is designed to be about 20 m/s, and it takes 3 s to travel from irradiation position to detector. Three sets of gamma counting systems and one delayed neutron counting system are being equipped for routine analysis. They are designed for running continuously and automatically. And all the functions can be operated at laboratory or office through remote controlled computer. Software has been made domestically for spectrum peak search, concentration calculation with relative method and k0 method with interference corrections and some other functions for the convenience of users.