Transportation of exotic fission products targeted for the goals of astrophysical r-process

Abstract

The gas-jet extraction and transportation method of fission products produced by thermal neutron irradiation of the uranium target near the reactor’s active zone has been considered. The gas-jet transportation system has already been successfully implemented, tested and used in the facilities on the TRIGA research reactor in Mainz (Germany). The main goal of this work consisted in the optimization of the transport parameters of the gas-jet system, which were experimentally measured and theoretically modelled and subsequently adopt them for the case of the high flux reactor PIK, which is under commissioning at the PNPI in Gatchina (Russian Federation). As a result of this research a formula for the fission products transport time has been derived. An optimization was suggested by using He as carrier and buffer gas and theoretical calculations have been done, in order to make predictions about the new nuclides, which would be able to be studied under the planned conditions on the PIK reactor. This information can be very helpful in the creation of the setup for production and investigation of exotic nuclides in the on-line regime on high-flux reactors.