Review of R&D of intense neutron sources for irradiation studies of fusion reactor materials.

Abstract

Need for the intense neutron sources for the development of fusion materials has been recognized from the early stage of fusion development. A brief history including recent international collaborative activities is described.The most difficult problem in developing fusion materials is related to radiation damage produced during prolonged irradiation in a fusion energy system. Suitability to study this will define the requirements of the neutron source. Although there have been a number of proposals for the source, there seem to be no intense neutron sources satisfying all the suitability and feasibility requirements. Inherent problems and issues to be solved are summarized for various kinds of the sources. In particular, detailed integral descriptions on a d-Li stripping reaction source facility are given as a reference for considering the irradiation facility. It is emphasized that the intense neutron source facility for materials research is not merely an accelerator or a plasma machine but an integrated one composed of ion source, accelerator, target, irradiation cell, remote maintenance, shielding, hot laboratories and waste disposal.