Cavitation damage prediction for spallation target vessels by assessment of acoustic vibration

Liquid-mercury target systems for MW-class spallation neutron sources are being developed around the world. Proton beams are used to induce the spallation reaction. At the moment the proton beam hits the target, pressure waves are generated in the mercury because of the abrupt heat deposition. The p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of nuclear materials 2008-06, Vol.377 (1), p.182-188
Main Authors: Futakawa, Masatoshi, Kogawa, Hiroyuki, Hasegawa, Shoichi, Ikeda, Yujiro, Riemer, Bernie, Wendel, Mark, Haines, John, Bauer, Günter, Naoe, Takashi, Okita, Kohei, Fujiwara, Akiko, Matsumoto, Yoichiro, Tanaka, Nobuatsu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
acoustic
Applied sciences
cavitation
Controled nuclear fusion plants
Energy
Energy. Thermal use of fuels
Exact sciences and technology
Fission nuclear power plants
Fuels
Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy
material
mercury
Nuclear fuels
spallation
target
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Summary:Liquid-mercury target systems for MW-class spallation neutron sources are being developed around the world. Proton beams are used to induce the spallation reaction. At the moment the proton beam hits the target, pressure waves are generated in the mercury because of the abrupt heat deposition. The pressure waves interact with the target vessel leading to negative pressure that may cause cavitation along the vessel wall. In order to estimate the cavitation erosion, i.e. the pitting damage formed by the collapse of cavitation bubbles, off-beam tests were performed by using an electric magnetic impact testing machine (MIMTM), which can impose equivalent pressure pulses in mercury. The damage potential was defined based on the relationship between the pitting damage and the time-integrated acoustic vibration induced by impact due to the bubble collapses. Additionally, the damage potential was measured in on-beam tests carried out by using the proton beam at WNR (Weapons Neutron Research) facility in Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). In this paper, the concept of the damage potential, the relationship between the pitting damage formation and the damage potential both in off-beam and on-beam tests is shown.
ISSN:0022-3115
1873-4820
DOI:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2008.02.058