A Prototype Compact Accelerator Driven Neutron Source for Canada Supporting Medical and Scientific Applications

TL;DR

This paper proposes a compact accelerator-driven neutron source in Canada to replace lost neutron facilities, supporting medical and scientific applications with a lower-cost, versatile solution based on a linear accelerator design.

Contribution

It introduces the design and conceptual studies of a prototype compact neutron source (PC-CANS) tailored for Canadian needs, combining accelerator technology with neutron production for diverse applications.

Findings

Design of a 10 MeV proton linear accelerator with 10 mA peak current.

Benchmarking results of neutron production and moderation using FLUKA and MCNP.

Feasibility of dual neutron applications: BNCT and radioisotope production.

Abstract

Canada recently lost its major supply of neutron beams with the closure of the National Research Universal reactor at Chalk River Laboratories in March 2018. This issue is further exacerbated by the closure of other reactors abroad, which also served as centers for neutron research. Consequently, there is a demand for new sources, both for Canada and internationally, as the global supply shrinks. Compact accelerator driven neutron sources provide an avenue to realize an intense source of pulsed neutron beams, with a capital cost significantly lower than spallation sources. In an effort to close the neutron gap in Canada, a Prototype Canadian compact accelerator driven neutron source (PC-CANS) is proposed for installation at the University of Windsor. The PC-CANS is envisaged to serve two neutron science instruments, a boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) station and a beamline for fluorine-18 radioisotope production for positive emission tomography. To serve these diverse applications of neutron beams, a linear accelerator solution is selected to provide 10 MeV protons with a peak current of 10 mA within a 5\% duty cycle. The accelerator is based on an RFQ and a DTL with a post-DTL pulsed kicker system to simultaneously deliver macro-pulses to each end-station. The neutron production targets for both neutron science and BNCT will be made of beryllium and engineered to handle the high beam power density. Conceptual studies of the accelerator and benchmarking studies of neutron production and moderation with FLUKA and MCNP, in support of the target-moderator-reflector design are reported