Spallation Neutron Research Articles

New operation analysis method for vacuum tube driving a tuned cavity

The rf system of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) utilizes vacuum tubes to drive the ferrite-loaded cavities. Ensuring stable tube operation in the rf system is crucial for the acceleration of high-intensity beams, as any instability may impede further increases in beam power. Therefore, the operation of the vacuum tube under heavy beam loading has attracted significant attention, particularly in the case of CSNS-II RCS, where the circulating beam current is expected to reach up to 15.25 A, imposing a substantial burden on the vacuum tube for beam loading compensation. Thus, a comprehensive analysis of tube operation is imperative. However, current methods for the tube operation analysis are developed based on wideband rf cavities, which are inadequate when the load of the tube is a narrowband ferrite-loaded cavity equipped with a tuning system. The presence of a tuning system renders the modeling method for wideband rf cavities inapplicable for ferrite-loaded cavities. Therefore, the development of a new method is necessary. This paper introduces a novel method for analyzing operation of vacuum tube driving a tuned cavity. The effectiveness of the method is validated by comparing the analysis results with measurements under beam loading conditions. Furthermore, an estimation of tube operation under 500 kW beam loading for CSNS-II is provided. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

160 kW beam commissioning for the Rapid Cycling Synchrotron of the China Spallation Neutron Source

For the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), the rapid cycling synchrotron (RCS)accumulates and accelerates the injection beam to the design energy of 1.6 GeV and then extractsthe high energy beam to the target. In this paper, the 160 kW beam power commissioning forthe CSNS RCS has been comprehensively studied, including: increase in the pulse width ofthe injection beam to optimize the transverse painting, commissioning of the two dualharmonic radio frequency (RF) cavities, optimization of the transverse and momentum collimators,longitudinal dynamic optimization, beam instability suppression,global closed orbit correction, local closed orbit correction, optimization of the RCS occasionallarge beam loss, optimization of the extraction mode and extraction occasional large beam loss,and so on.In order to meet the requirements of beam power increase and stable operation of the accelerator,the RCS beam losses from different sources are studied and optimized. With the aid of weeklyradiation dose measurement, the hot spots of the RCS are studied in depth to explore the causes.

Improved limits on n→n′ transformation from the Spallation Neutron Source

Conversions between neutrons n and dark matter candidate sterile neutrons n′ have been proposed as a mechanism for baryon number B violation. In the case that there is a small mass difference Δm between the n and the n′ states, oscillations can be induced by compensating for Δm with a magnetic field. A search for such neutron oscillations was performed at the Spallation Neutron Source by looking for anomalous neutron transmission through a strongly absorbing cadmium wafer inside of a 6.6 T magnet. The approach described here saw no regenerated neutrons above background, which provides an improved limit for neutron–sterile neutron transformations for a range of Δm between 0.1 and 1000 neV. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

The smearing function for a multi-slit very small angle neutron scattering instrument

Besides traditional pinhole geometry, the multi-slit very small angle neutron scattering instrument (MS-VSANS) at the China Spallation Neutron Source also utilizes a multi-slit collimation system to focus neutrons. Using the special focusing structures, the minimum scattering vector magnitude (q) can reach 0.00028 Å−1. The special structures also lead to a significantly different smearing function. By comparing the results of theoretical calculations with experimental data, we have validated the feasibility of a smearing method based on a mature theory for slit smearing. We use the weight-averaged intensity of neutron wavelength as a representative to evaluate the effect from a broad wavelength distribution, concentrating on the effect from the geometry of the multi-slit structures and the detector. The consistency of the theoretical calculation of the smearing function with experimental VSANS scattering profiles for a series of polystyrene standards of different diameters proves the feasibility of the smearing method. This marks the inaugural use of real experimental data from an instrument employing a multi-slit collimation system.

Atmospheric Neutron Single Event Effects Research of Multiple Convolutional Neural Networks based on 28 nm and 16 nm SoC

Abstract The single event effects (SEEs) evaluations caused by atmospheric neutrons were conducted on three different convolutional neural network (CNN) models (Yolov3, MNIST, and ResNet50) in the atmospheric neutron irradiation spectrometer (ANIS) at the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS). The Yolov3 and MNIST models were implemented on the XILINX 28 nm system-on-chip (SoC). Meanwhile, the Yolov3 and ResNet50 models were deployed on the XILINX 16 nm FinFET UltraScale+ MPSoC. The atmospheric neutron SEEs on the tested CNN systems were comprehensively evaluated from six aspects, including chip type, network architecture, deployment methods, inference time, datasets, and the position of the anchor boxes. The various types of SEE soft errors, SEE cross-sections, and their distribution were analyzed to explore the radiation sensitivities and rules of 28 nm and 16 nm SoC. The current research can provide the technology support of radiation-resistant design of CNN system for developing and applying high-reliability, long-lifespan domestic artificial intelligence chips.

Correction of dynamic magnetic field errors at the rapid cycling synchrotron of China Spallation Neutron Source

At a Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS), dynamic magnetic field errors, such as magnetic field tracking errors and dynamic fringe field effects, can cause time-dependent tune shift during beam acceleration. If the tune shift is significant enough to pass through resonance lines, it can lead to emittance growth and beam losses. Correcting time-dependent tune shift during acceleration is crucial for a RCS. Modulating the exciting current and magnetic field of quadrupole magnets at a RCS, which are powered by resonant circuits, is challenging during the ramping process. Correcting time-dependent tune shift at a RCS poses a significant technical challenge. We have proposed a method for correcting time-dependent tune shift at the rapid cycling synchrotron of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), based on waveform compensation at the quadrupole magnets. This approach involves modulating the magnetic field variation process by injecting time harmonic exciting current into the quadrupole magnets. This method has been validated during the CSNS beam commissioning and has been applied at the RCS of CSNS to correct various dynamic magnetic field errors.

Performance of Oak Ridge National Laboratory spallation neutron source proton power upgrade cavities and cryomodule production

The Proton Power Upgrade initiative at Oak Ridge National Lab’s Spallation Neutron Source aims to greatly boost the capability of proton beam power. This upgrade involves the integration of seven additional cryomodules, each housing four six-cell high-beta (β=0.81) superconducting radio frequency cavities. These cavities, manufactured and processed by Research Instruments in Germany, underwent meticulous treatment, including electropolishing as the bulk and final vital step. Upon delivery to Jefferson Lab, a total of 28 cavities for seven cryomodules, along with an additional four cavities for a spare cryomodule, underwent thorough vertical qualification tests, meeting the required specifications. Following cavity tanking and subsequent rf testing, the assembly of eight cryomodules was successfully executed, with all 32 cavities demonstrating compliance with acceptance criteria. The transportation of the cryomodule to SNS for high-power testing in the tunnel yielded exceptional results. Notably, the performance surpassed specifications, in terms of quality factor and accelerating gradient. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Quantitative analysis of transmutation nuclides in pure tungsten irradiated with high-energy protons and spallation neutrons at 6.4 and 28 dpa

Tungsten is a key material for applications of spallation targets and fusion reactors. Irradiation-induced transmutation products can significantly affect the mechanical and thermal properties of tungsten. However, detailed quantitative analysis of transmutation elements of irradiated tungsten has not been reported and is therefore in high demand, especially in the cases of spallation targets where a large amounts of transmutation elements are produced. In this work, we analyzed the transmutation products in pure tungsten samples irradiated in a target of Swiss Spallation Neutron Source (SINQ) at doses of 6.4 and 28 dpa, the latter being the highest dose ever achieved in spallation targets. Quantitative measurements of 40 nuclides ranging from 144Sm to 188Os were performed using the atom probe tomography (APT) technique. The measured concentrations of transmutation elements are in good agreement with those of neutronic calculations. The APT analysis also revealed clusters of transmutation elements. Due to low irradiation temperature (<500 °C) and low concentration of transmutation elements, the clusters are 1–2 nm in diameter.

Unveiling short-range magnetic correlations: The development of magnetic pair distribution function method at CSNS

Recent advancements in the magnetic pair distribution function (mPDF) analysis of neutron total scattering data provide a powerful approach to investigate local magnetic correlations in materials. This technique is promising for revealing short-range magnetic correlations at the sub-nanometer length scale directly in real space. It is particularly suitable for strongly correlated electron systems and geometrically frustrated magnets. In this study, the mPDF experiment is conducted at the multi-physics instrument (MPI) of the China Spallation Neutron Source, one of the latest neutron total scattering diffractometers in the world. We systematically benchmarked a series of important parameters related to the experimental setup and data processing for mPDF experiments at the MPI and similar instruments. This method not only advances the magnetic structure determination of fundamental materials but also opens the door for extending mPDF studies to more complicated and frontier magnetic systems that are challenging for conventional diffraction methods.

Distance preserving machine learning for uncertainty aware accelerator capacitance predictions

Abstract Accurate uncertainty estimations are essential for producing reliable machine learning models, especially in safety-critical applications such as accelerator systems. Gaussian process models are generally regarded as the gold standard for this task; however, they can struggle with large, high-dimensional datasets. Combining deep neural networks with Gaussian process approximation techniques has shown promising results, but dimensionality reduction through standard deep neural network layers is not guaranteed to maintain the distance information necessary for Gaussian process models. We build on previous work by comparing the use of the singular value decomposition against a spectral-normalized dense layer as a feature extractor for a deep neural Gaussian process approximation model and apply it to a capacitance prediction problem for the High Voltage Converter Modulators in the Oak Ridge Spallation Neutron Source. Our model shows improved distance preservation and predicts in-distribution capacitance values with less than 1% error.

Optimization study on the compact thermal neutron imaging system based on portable D-T neutron generator

The distribution of lithium in lithium-ion batteries is critical to their performance and lifespan. Studies have shown that thermal neutron imaging can effectively perform non-destructive testing of this distribution. However, most current thermal neutron imaging systems rely on expensive, bulky, and immobile nuclear reactors or spallation neutron sources, significantly limiting their application scenarios. Therefore, this study adopts a portable D-T neutron generator as the neutron source and uses Monte Carlo simulation methods to optimize the design of key components in the thermal neutron imaging system. Simulation results indicate that the optimized thermal neutron imaging system achieves a thermal neutron flux of 8.36 × 104 n·cm−2·s−1 and a thermal neutron content (TNC) of 14.4% at a collimation ratio of 50. Within an imaging range of Φ100 mm, the non-uniformity of the thermal neutron fluence is approximately 2.07%. Simulation imaging results of lithium and iron step wedges demonstrate that the compact thermal neutron imaging system designed in this study can effectively distinguish between iron and lithium of the same thickness. This finding provides an important reference for subsequent detection of lithium distribution within lithium-ion batteries.

CSNS-II multi-harmonic LLRF upgrade and commissioning

The second phase of the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS-II) will employ a dual-harmonic RF system to mitigate the significant space charge effects associated with 500 kW beam power. To address this, three magnetic alloy loaded cavities, characterized by their wideband and high-gradient properties, will be integrated as multi-harmonic cavities in the upgrade project. Additionally, the current LLRF control system hardware, based on the CPCI platform, is encountering issues related to discontinuation and performance limitations. This paper presents the testing and verification of hardware upgrades and multi-harmonic control system algorithms for the magnetic alloy loaded cavity LLRF control system, ensuring the effective implementation of the multi-harmonic control algorithm within the new hardware framework.

Enhancement of heat dissipation efficiency in the CSNS target through the innovative design of a serial cooling water channel

This paper presents a coupling of the Monte Carlo method with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze the flow channel design of an irradiated target through numerical simulations. A novel series flow channel configuration is proposed, which effectively facilitates the removal of heat generated by high-power irradiation from the target without necessitating an increase in the cooling water flow rate. The research assesses the performance of both parallel and serial cooling channels within the target, revealing that, when subjected to equivalent cooling water flow rates, the maximum temperature observed in the target employing the serial channel configuration is lower. This reduction in temperature is ascribed to the accelerated flow of cooling water within the serial channel, which subsequently elevates both the Reynolds number and the Nusselt number, leading to enhanced heat transfer efficiency. Furthermore, the maximum temperature is observed to occur further downstream, thereby circumventing areas of peak heat generation. This phenomenon arises because the cooling water traverses the target plates with the highest internal heat generation at a lower temperature when the flow channels are arranged in series, optimizing the cooling effect on these targets. However, it is crucial to note that the pressure loss associated with the serial structure is two orders of magnitude greater than that of the parallel structure, necessitating increased pump power and imposing stricter requirements on the target container and cooling water pipeline. These findings can serve as a reference for the design of the cooling channels in the target station system, particularly in light of the anticipated increase in beam power during the second phase of the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS Ⅱ).

Multidimensional Rietveld refinement of high-pressure neutron diffraction data of PbNCN.

High-pressure neutron powder diffraction data from PbNCN were collected on the high-pressure diffraction beamline SNAP located at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Tennessee, USA). The diffraction data were analyzed using the novel method of multidimensional (two dimensions for now, potentially more in the future) Rietveld refinement and, for comparison, employing the conventional Rietveld method. To achieve two-dimensional analysis, a detailed description of the SNAP instrument characteristics was created, serving as an instrument parameter file, and then yielding both cell and spatial parameters as refined under pressure for the first time for solid-state cyanamides/carbodi-imides. The bulk modulus B 0 = 25.1 (15) GPa and its derivative B'0 = 11.1 (8) were extracted for PbNCN following the Vinet equation of state. Surprisingly, an internal transition was observed beyond 2.0 (2) GPa, resulting from switching the bond multiplicities (and bending direction) of the NCN2- complex anion. The results were corroborated using electronic structure calculation from first principles, highlighting both local structural and chemical bonding details.

Dynamic fringe field effect of the rapid ramping quadrupole magnets at a Rapid Cycling Synchrotron

For a DC quadrupole magnet, the normalized magnetic field distribution along the beam trajectory is mainly determined by the mechanical structure of the magnet and remains almost independent of the exciting current. However, the magnetic field measurement results of the Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) at the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) show that the normalized magnetic field distribution along the beam trajectory varies during the exciting current ramping process for rapid ramping magnets. Consequently, for rapid ramping quadrupole magnets, there are significant differences between the dynamic and static magnetic field gradient distribution. And the changes in the distribution of the magnetic field gradient can cause time dependent tune-shifts during the exciting current ramping process. For RCS, the tune is crucial, and the shifts of tune may lead to the beam approaching the resonance line, thereby causing beam loss. The impact of the fringe field effect of the rapid ramping quadrupole magnets on beam dynamics at CSNS-RCS was detailly studied. A new method for correcting the time-dependent tune shifts caused by the dynamic field distribution, based on waveform compensation at the quadrupole magnets, has also been proposed for the RCS of CSNS. Related simulation and experiment have been conducted, and the simulation results and experimental results are consistent with theoretical study results.

Shielding development for the spallation neutron source VENUS instrument

VENUS is a neutron imaging instrument that will use a broad range of neutron wavelengths, from epithermal to cold energies, and will include enhanced contrast mechanisms. It will offer novel energy-selective imaging techniques directly connecting complex engineering materials and systems’ structures, properties, and functions to reveal practical and fundamental answers about their real-world performance. The instrument will be built at SNS beamline 10, facing the decoupled poisoned hydrogen moderator. The driving cost for the instrument is the beamline and instrument cave shielding. Final analyses were performed to evaluate the thickness and composition of shielding materials for the instrument cave and beamline to meet radiation safety criteria for the instrument to start up in 2024 after completing the SNS proton power upgrade.

Microstructural changes in the welding of titanium-stabilized steels

Abstract At the Central Institute for Engineering, electronics, and Analytics (ZEA-1 by its acronym in German) of the Jülich Research Center GmbH, a cryostat was developed for the European Spallation Neutron Source (ESS) and manufactured from a titanium-stabilized austenitic stainless steel alloy (EN 1.4571). After tungsten inert gas welding, the welds exhibited a black, patchy discoloration. After materialographic preparation, the phenomena were examined using microscopic methods to assess their impact on the strength of the weld and thus on the usability of the cryostat. Not only could the impact on the cryostat operation be assessed, but the formation mechanism could be elucidated and suitable measures could be outlined to avoid the black, patchy discoloration.

Safety considerations for cryogenic hydrogen circulation system in China spallation neutron source phase II project

Cryogenic hydrogen circulation system is a critical infrastructure of the China Spallation Neutron Source phase II project. Safety considerations related to hydrogen are paramount for the stable operation of the system. This study focuses on the cryogenic hydrogen circulation system within the context of the China Spallation Neutron Source phase II project and conducts a detailed investigation of hydrogen safety issues throughout the process. The operational modes and fault occurrence mitigation strategies of the cryogenic hydrogen circulation system are analyzed and discussed. Additionally, employing centralized layout, zoning management, and multiple barrier layers as guiding concepts for hydrogen safety design, the study addresses physical and interlocking control designs concerning hydrogen distribution, hydrogen venting, vacuum, hydrogen circulation pressure control, and hydrogen leakage. Drawing upon the successful experiences of the first-phase project, the hydrogen safety design of the cryogenic hydrogen circulation system in the China Spallation Neutron Source phase II project provides valuable insights for the development and optimization of hydrogen safety designs across various industrial domains.

Non-invasive detection of hazardous materials with a thermal-to-epithermal neutron station: a feasibility study towards practical application

The growing scale of the devastation that even a single terrorist attack can cause requires more effective methods for the detection of hazardous materials. In particular, there are no solutions for effectively monitoring threats at sea, both for the off-shore infrastructure and ports. Currently, state-of-the-art detection methods determine the density distribution and the shapes of tested subjects but only allow for a limited degree of substance identification. This work aims to present a feasibility study of the possible usage of several methods available on the thermal-to-epithermal neutron station, VESUVIO, at the ISIS neutron and muon spallation source, UK, for the detection of hazardous materials. To this end, we present the results of a series of experiments performed concurrently employing neutron transmission and Compton scattering using melamine, a commonly used explosive surrogate, in order to determine its signal characteristics and limits of detection and quantitation. The experiments are supported by first-principles modelling, providing detailed scrutiny of the material structure and the nuclear dynamics behind the neutron scattering observables.

(Energy Technology Division Graduate Student Award sponsored by BioLogic) In-Situ, Non-Destructive, 3D Neutron Imaging of Lithium Plating Following Extreme Fast-Charging of Full-Cell Lithium-Ion Batteries

One of the primary challenges impeding extreme fast-charging (XFC) of current lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles (EVs) within 10–15 minutes is the deposition of Li metal on graphite known as “Li plating”.1-2 After Li plates, it either re-intercalates into the graphite electrode or is stripped off during battery discharging to form “active Li”or becomes electronically disconnected resulting in “dead Li.” Previous studies have indicated that dead Li is the main contributor to the XFC-related capacity loss of LIBs. However, mechanistic understanding of the 3D morphological behavior and spatial heterogeneities of dead Li; and how they differ from those of plated and active Li during the XFC is not well understood.3-4 Here, we present an in-situ, non-destructive 3D characterization of the morphological behavior and spatial heterogeneities of plated, dead, and active Li on graphite electrodes in full-cell LIBs using high-resolution neutron micro-computed tomography. We performed neutron µCT5 (pixel size: ~ 5.74 µm; effective spatial resolution: ~10-15 µm) at the ICON beamline6 at the Swiss Spallation Neutron Source at the Paul Scherrer Institute. We imaged two batteries in the charged and discharged states: (1) after 4 cycles of 1C charging and (2) after 6 cycles of 6C charging.Our results show that Li plates at and around the edges of the graphite electrodes, indicating that graphite edges and the areas around these edges are the most susceptible to Li plating. However, certain edges and areas around these edges formed dead Li whereas others formed active Li, suggesting 3D spatial heterogeneities in the formation of dead and active Li at both 1C and 6C. Mainly, we discuss these heterogeneities at four regions: (1) near the Cu CC, (2) in the middle of the graphite electrode, (3) near the graphite-separator interface, and (4) in the separator. Specifically, we found that Li near the Cu CC remains active whereas most of the plated Li at the graphite-separator interface and in the separator becomes dead at both 1C and 6C.Morphologically, we observed porous nature of plated and dead Li at both 1C and 6C. Our 3D visualizations noticeably show nodules of varying densities of metallic Li. However, we observed different 3D behavior of Li plating at 1C and 6C. For example, tip-like Li deposits were seen laterally closer to the center of the graphite electrode, near the graphite-separator interface, and into the separator at 6C. In contrast, at 1C, no tip-like Li deposits were observed near the graphite-separator interface and into the separator. Based on our findings, we concluded that higher XFC-charging rate and cycling number (6 cycles of 6C charging) cause the formation of tip-like Li deposits as compared to the relatively slower XFC-charging rate and cycling number (4 cycles of 1C charging). We believe that insights derived from this work will guide the design of thick graphite electrodes with minimized-plating for fast-charged EVs.