Rotating Shell Liquid Target for Compact Nuclear Particle Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid targets for generating neutron fields, such as those using liquid lithium, are limited by the bulkiness of the installation, the quantity of liquid lithium required, and the challenges of managing radiotoxicity associated with 7Be production.
Innovation Solution
A compact liquid target system featuring a rotating shell with a surface of revolution, a reservoir for the target material, and a system for circulating the target material as a thin film, allowing for efficient heat removal and reduced material volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a large quantity of liquid lithium is used in the target, then the heat removal capability is improved, but the volume of the installation and the quantity of material required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin liquid lithium film (thickness of a few micrometers to less than 1 mm) circulating on the inner surface of a rotating cylindrical shell. This thin film configuration enables efficient heat removal through the shell wall while minimizing the volume of liquid lithium required, thereby resolving the contradiction between heat removal capability and installation volume.
2Temperature
If the liquid lithium flows at high speed, then the heat removal efficiency is improved, but the lithium evaporation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating cylindrical shell configuration with a thin liquid lithium film allows for controlled high-speed flow (up to 30 m/s) while maintaining a small free surface area. The centrifugal force keeps the lithium pressed against the shell interior, minimizing exposure to vaporization. The shell itself acts as a heat sink, efficiently conducting heat away without requiring excessive flow velocity that would cause evaporation.
3Temperature
If a solid thin layer of lithium is used, then the heat distribution is improved, but the stability and adhesion of the layer deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a static solid lithium layer to a dynamic liquid lithium film circulating on a rotating shell. The continuous motion and renewal of the liquid film prevent the degradation, cracking, and adhesion problems that plague solid thin layers under high heat flux and particle beam irradiation, while maintaining thin geometry for effective heat distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of lithium from solid to liquid, enabling the material to flow and self-renew while maintaining a thin configuration. This parameter change allows the target to withstand high thermal loads and particle beam damage without the stability issues inherent in solid thin layers.
4Temperature
If the target material is kept in a large reservoir, then the heat capacity is improved, but the system complexity and radiotoxicity management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating cylindrical shell with thin liquid lithium film provides sufficient heat capacity through the shell material itself acting as a heat sink, eliminating the need for large reservoirs. The closed-loop circulation system is compact and integrated, reducing overall system complexity while managing radiotoxicity through controlled circulation and minimal free surface area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves a more compact design, reduces the volume of target material needed, and enhances heat removal capabilities, enabling the production of higher fluxes of nuclear particles while minimizing radiological risks.
Implementation Method 1
a gutter formed along an external perimeter of the shell and configured to receive, in operation, droplets derived from a film of target material induced by centrifugal action on said upper surface of the shell as the shell is rotated
Implementation Method 2
the interaction of a beam of incident particles (for example protons, deuterons or other atomic nuclei) the production of which is already known, on targets formed by a material that allows the specific nuclear reaction
Implementation Method 3
The depth of penetration into the target material can vary according to the energies of the incident beams of particles employed... creating significant heating of the target material
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect, the present description concerns a target (20) for the production of nuclear particles. The target comprises a shell (24) formed by a surface of revolution and mounted in rotation about an axis of rotation (21) that coincides with an axis of revolution of the shell. The target further comprises a reservoir comprising a target material in the liquid state during use, the target material being suitable for producing the nuclear particles; a target material raising device configured to entrain, in operation, the target material from the reservoir toward an upper surface (244) of the shell; a gutter formed along an external perimeter (245) of the shell and configured to receive, in operation, droplets derived from a film (22) of target material induced by centrifugal action on said upper surface of the shell as the shell is rotated; at least one return pipe forming a fluid connection between the gutter and the container; an inlet pipe configured, in operation, to let in a beam of accelerated particles into a zone of impingement of said accelerated particles with the shell, said zone of impingement being situated on said upper surface of the shell, the interaction of said accelerated particles with the target material circulating on said upper surface of the shell generating said nuclear particles.