Preliminary ANS [Advanced Neutron Source] reactor cold source gain factor calculations for liquid deuterium and liquid nitrogen-15

Individual energy group gain factors are computed for liquid nitrogen-15 and liquid deuterium cold source moderators using simple one-dimensional slab and spherical geometry calculational models. The energy spectrum of the neutron source is assumed to be that of a thermalized Maxwellian flux at 20/degree/C. The slab geometry calculations indicate that the optimum thickness for neutron transmission through a slab given an isotropic incident flux is for wavelengths above .6 nm, approximately .20 m for liquid deuterium and between .28 and .32 m for liquid nitrogen-15. The gain factors at .8 nm corresponding to these thicknesses are 15.5 for liquid deuterium and 3.50 for liquid nitrogen-15. The spherical geometry analysis showed that the cold neutron current below 10 MeV of 1.36 n/m2-s for the neutron component entering the cavity of a .16 m thick liquid deuterium spherical shell exceeds the neutron leakage current of 1.08 n/cm2-s from a .38 m diameter liquid deuterium solid sphere. However, the cold neutron factors for the neutron entering the void region are considerably lower than for the solid sphere case. 15 refs., 24 figs., 7 tabs