44
Transport
of Methane Pellets for Advanced Cold Moderators--Cryogenic
Applications F, Inc.,
Dr.
Christopher A. Foster, Principal Investigator, cafoster@dellpro.com
Dr.
Christopher A. Foster, Business Official, cafoster@dellpro.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-03ER83634
Amount:
$99,125
Existing
and planned neutron facilities, such as the Spallation Neutron Source, generate
pulses of cold neutrons for materials research. The
efficiency of the beam line components, which convert the fast neutrons to a
cold neutron beam, determines the usefulness of the facility.
Existing solid methane moderators have a high efficiency, but they
can’t be scaled to work on planned high power sources.
However, a cold moderator using solid methane pellets should be capable
of high power operation, and the technology for producing methane pellets has
recently been demonstrated. This
project will extend the technology to allow circulation of the pellets into and
out of a remote moderator cell. In
Phase I, the existing methane pellet machine will be modified to improve the
flow characteristics of the pellets, which tend to stick together.
The pellets will be sub-cooled to temperatures below 50 K and accumulated
in a fluidized bed, capable of rapidly filling a moderator with a charge of
pellets. A prototype pellet
moderator system will be designed for construction and testing in Phase II.
Commercial Applications and Other
Benefits
as described by awardee: Compared to
a conventional hydrogen moderator, a methane moderator using this cryogenic
pellet technology would double the output of cold neutrons.
The pellet technology also could be used for improving commercial dry ice
pellet blasting machines.