Generator for neutron irradiation

Abstract

The application discloses a neutron generator for neutron irradiation, which comprises a crown-shaped ion source, a crown-shaped source grid, a crown-shaped target and a cooling jacket, wherein the cooling jacket is internally provided with a sample placing cavity, a sample to be irradiated is placed in the sample placing cavity at the center of the ball, positive ions generated by the crown-shaped ion source can generate neutrons by nuclear reaction with the crown-shaped target, the neutrons can penetrate the crown-shaped target and the cooling jacket to irradiate the sample to be irradiated in all directions and at a close distance, and the cooling jacket can control the temperature of the crown-shaped target. Compared with conventional neutron generators, the neutron generator for neutron irradiation disclosed by the application has the advantages of low total yield required under the same neutron irradiation effect, simple and compact structure, no mechanical moving parts, and the like, and can be applied to neutron irradiation breeding and gemstone irradiation color changing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of neutron generator technology, and particularly relates to a neutron generator for neutron irradiation. Background Technology

[0002] Because the relative biological effects of neutrons are higher than those of gamma rays, neutrons, especially fast neutrons, have been widely used in the field of irradiation breeding in recent years. Through fast neutron irradiation, organisms such as seeds or plants typically produce several to millions of irreparable base deletions, resulting in a high frequency of organismal mutations and the efficient generation of new gene pools. This technology has been successfully applied to plants such as rice, soybeans, peanuts, and chrysanthemums.

[0003] Currently, neutron sources used for irradiation breeding can be mainly divided into reactor neutron sources, isotope neutron sources, and accelerator-type neutron generators. Among them, reactor neutron sources are large in size, expensive, and inconvenient to use; isotope neutron sources are highly dangerous and inconvenient to operate, manage, and dispose of; accelerator-type neutron generators are generally large in size, complex in structure, and expensive, which will greatly limit the development of neutron irradiation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention proposes a neutron generator for neutron irradiation. Compared with conventional neutron generators, this generator has a simple and compact structure and no moving mechanical parts, providing a new option for the application of neutron irradiation.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a neutron generator for neutron irradiation, the generator comprising: a sealed shell, a coronal ion source, a coronal source grid, a coronal target, a cooling jacket, an ion source power supply, and an accelerating power supply;

[0006] The sealed housing is located on the outermost side of the neutron generator;

[0007] The crown-shaped ion source, crown-shaped source grid, and crown-shaped target are all spherical crown-shaped, with the diameter of the crown-shaped spherical crowns decreasing sequentially. After the centers of the three spheres coincide, they are set in the same sector of the sealed shell.

[0008] The coronal ion source generates positive ions, and the positive ion emission direction is directed towards the coronal source grid; the coronal source grid includes a plurality of apertures configured to allow positive ions to pass through;

[0009] One end of the cooling jacket contacts the side of the coronal target facing the center of the sphere, and the other end extends out of the sealing shell and is sealed at the point where the sealing shell protrudes; the cooling jacket is provided with a cooling medium flow channel, a sample inlet channel and a sample placement cavity;

[0010] The ion source power supply is connected to the coronal ion source and the coronal source grid; the accelerating power supply is connected to the coronal source grid and the coronal target, and the potential of the coronal source grid is lower than the potential of the coronal ion source, and the potential of the coronal target is lower than the potential of the coronal source grid.

[0011] Preferably, the coronal ion source is a whole coronal ion source or a coronal array composed of multiple ion sources.

[0012] Preferably, the cooling jacket includes: a first wall layer located on the outer layer and a second wall layer located on the inner layer. One end of both the first and second wall layers is configured as a spherical shell, and the other end of both extends through a sealed shell. The first wall layer is sealed with the sealed shell at the point of extension. The spherical shell of the first wall layer is in contact with the crown target on the side facing the center of the sphere. The gap between the first and second wall layers is a cooling medium flow channel, the internal channel of the second wall layer serves as a sample inlet channel, and the interior of the spherical shell of the second wall layer serves as a sample placement cavity.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this invention are: compared with conventional neutron generators, the neutron generator for neutron irradiation proposed in this invention requires a lower total output for the same neutron irradiation effect, has a simple and compact structure with no moving mechanical parts, shuts off immediately upon power failure, and is highly safe. It can be applied to neutron irradiation breeding and also to gemstone irradiation color modification. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a neutron generator for neutron irradiation in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] In the figure: 1. Sealed shell 2. Coronal ion source 3. Coronal source grid 4. Coronal target 5. Cooling jacket 5a. Cooling medium inlet 5b. Cooling medium outlet 5c. Sample injection channel 5d. Sample placement cavity 6. Ion source power supply 7. Accelerating power supply. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments described herein are intended to help the reader understand the principles of the invention, and should be understood that the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to such specific statements and embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various other specific modifications and combinations based on the technical teachings disclosed in this invention without departing from the spirit of the invention, and these modifications and combinations are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0017] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0018] like Figure 1 The neutron generator for neutron irradiation shown includes a sealed housing 1, a coronal ion source 2, a coronal source grid 3, a coronal target 4, a cooling jacket 5, an ion source power supply 6, and an accelerating power supply 7.

[0019] Wherein: the sealed housing 1 is located on the outermost side of the generator;

[0020] The crown ion source 2, the crown source grid 3, and the crown target 4 are spherical crowns with successively decreasing diameters. The centers of the three spheres coincide in the sealed housing 1 and are located in the same sector.

[0021] The coronal ion source 2 is a spherical array composed of multiple Penning coronal ion sources or a single coronal ion source. The coronal ion source 2 generates positive ions, and the positive ion emission direction is directed towards the coronal source grid 3. The coronal source grid 3 includes multiple holes configured to allow positive ions to pass through.

[0022] As an example, the coronal ion source 2 is composed of multiple Penning coronal ion sources, and the coronal ion source 2 is capable of generating D... + Ions and D2 + Ions, D + Ions and D2 + The ions are emitted towards the crown target 4, D + Ions and D2 + Ions pass through the coronal source grid 3, are accelerated in the electric field formed between the coronal source grid 3 and the coronal target 4, and then reach the coronal target 4;

[0023] As an example, the material of the coronal target 4 is titanium deuteride, with a thickness of 1 micrometer, D + Ions and D2 + D(d,n) occurs when the ion interacts with the crown target 4. 3 He nuclear reactions produce neutrons;

[0024] Ion source power supply 6 is connected to coronal ion source 2 and coronal source grid 3; accelerating power supply 7 is connected to coronal source grid 3 and coronal target 4, and the potential of coronal source grid 3 is lower than the potential of coronal ion source 2, and the potential of coronal target 4 is lower than the potential of coronal source grid 3. As an example, the potential of coronal ion source 2 is grounded, the potential of coronal source grid 3 is -2kV, and the potential of coronal target 4 is -100kV;

[0025] As an example, the cooling jacket 5 includes a first wall layer 51 and a second wall layer 52. One end of the first wall layer 51 and the second wall layer 52 are both set as spherical caps, and the other end of both extend through the sealing shell 1. The first wall layer 51 is sealed between the extending position and the sealing shell 1. The spherical cap at one end of the first wall layer 51 contacts the crown target 4 on the side facing the center of the sphere. In this embodiment, the material of the first wall layer 51 is oxygen-free copper. A channel for the cooling medium to circulate is provided between the first wall layer 51 and the second wall layer 52. The cooling medium is deionized water. The cooling sleeve 5 is provided with a cooling medium inlet 5a and a cooling medium outlet 5b. The cooling medium flows into the cooling sleeve 5 from the cooling medium inlet 5a and flows out of the cooling sleeve 5 from the cooling medium outlet 5b. The cooling sleeve 5 also includes a sample inlet channel 5c and a sample placement cavity 5d. In this embodiment, the internal space of the second wall layer 52 is the sample inlet channel 5c, which is used to place the sample to be irradiated in the sample placement cavity. The inside of the spherical cap of the second wall layer 52 is the sample placement cavity 5d, which is used to place the sample to be irradiated. One end of the sample inlet channel 5c is connected to the sample placement cavity 5d, and the other end is open.

[0026] The working process of the neutron generator for neutron irradiation described above is as follows: The material to be irradiated enters the sample placement cavity 5d through the sample introduction channel 5c. The coronal ion source 2 generates positive ions under the drive of the ion source power supply 6. The positive ions pass through the coronal source grid 3 and are accelerated in the electric field formed between the coronal source grid 3 and the coronal target 4 before reaching the coronal target 4. The positive ions undergo a nuclear reaction with the coronal target 4 to produce neutrons. The generated neutrons penetrate the coronal target 4 and the cooling jacket 5 and are directed towards the material to be irradiated. At the same time as the positive ions undergo a nuclear reaction with the coronal target 4 to produce neutrons, they deposit energy into the coronal target 4 and convert it into heat energy. The cooling medium flowing through the cooling jacket carries away the heat energy, keeping the temperature of the coronal target 4 at a low level.

Claims

1. A neutron generator for neutron irradiation, characterized in that, The generator includes: a sealed housing, a coronal ion source, a coronal source grid, a coronal target, a cooling jacket, an ion source power supply, and an accelerating power supply; The sealed housing is located on the outermost side of the neutron generator; The crown-shaped ion source, crown-shaped source grid, and crown-shaped target are all spherical crown-shaped, with the diameter of the crown-shaped spherical crowns decreasing sequentially. After the centers of the three spheres coincide, they are set in the same sector of the sealed shell. The coronal ion source generates positive ions, and the positive ion emission direction is directed towards the coronal source grid; the coronal source grid includes a plurality of apertures configured to allow positive ions to pass through; One end of the cooling jacket contacts the side of the coronal target facing the center of the sphere, and the other end extends out of the sealing shell and is sealed at the point where the sealing shell protrudes; the cooling jacket is provided with a cooling medium flow channel, a sample inlet channel and a sample placement cavity; The ion source power supply is connected to the coronal ion source and the coronal source grid; the accelerating power supply is connected to the coronal source grid and the coronal target, and the potential of the coronal source grid is lower than the potential of the coronal ion source, and the potential of the coronal target is lower than the potential of the coronal source grid. The coronal ion source is either a single coronal ion source or a coronal array composed of multiple ion sources; The cooling jacket includes: a first wall layer on the outer layer and a second wall layer on the inner layer. One end of both the first and second wall layers is a spherical shell, and the other end extends through a sealed shell. The first wall layer is sealed to the sealed shell at the point of extension. The spherical shell of the first wall layer is in contact with the crown target on the side facing the center of the sphere. The gap between the first and second wall layers is a cooling medium flow channel. The internal channel of the second wall layer serves as a sample inlet channel, and the interior of the spherical shell of the second wall layer serves as a sample placement cavity.

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