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Progress Towards Operation of a Deuterium Cold Neutron Source at the NCNR
Published
Author(s)
John M Jurns, Michael Middleton, Robert E. Williams
Abstract
The NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) operates a 20 MW research reactor that produces neutrons for a suite of 30 neutron scattering instruments. 70% of these instruments use cold neutrons (E<5 meV), which are moderated by two separate cold neutron sources. The cold moderator for both sources is liquid hydrogen (LH2), which is in turn cooled by a recently commissioned 7 kW, 14K helium refrigerator. NCNR plans to replace the larger cold source with a new one operating with liquid deuterium (LD2). This report focuses on progress towards the upgrade to liquid deuterium, and options to address the particular challenges of designing and operating a cooling system that simultaneously supports operation with both LH2 and LD2
Citation
IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
, J.
, , M.
and , R.
(2020),
Progress Towards Operation of a Deuterium Cold Neutron Source at the NCNR, IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=928482
(Accessed October 7, 2025)