 |
| Facility Background and Mission: |
| The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) has operated as an isotope production and neutron research facility since 1966. It has been modified to add the capability to produce cold neutrons
for research. There is a world-wide demand for increased capabilities to perform research using
cold neutrons. The Cold Source is designed to circulate supercritical hydrogen pressurized to 15 bar absolute at
temperatures between approximately 14-20 K at a rate of approximately one liter per second
through a moderator vessel installed inside the HB-4 beam tube of the HFIR. The hydrogen cools
neutrons emitted from the reactor core causing enhanced production of 4-12 angstrom neutrons
which are ideal for significant research applications. The neutrons are conveyed outside of the
beam tube using wave guides which terminate in a dedicated cold neutron guide hall constructed
south of the HFIR reactor building. The installation of this new neutron scattering research
capability will extend the useful mission of the HFIR for years.
|
|
| Technical Objective: The objective of the HFIR cold neutron source project is to increase the available neutron flux from the HB-4 beam tube that is delivered to instruments at wavelengths from 4 to 12  . The design is to optimize brightness (n/s/steradian/). The brightness gain factor for these wavelengths is to be comparable to existing cold sources of similar geometry (~10 to 20 at 7).
|
|