Optimization design research for 89Sr production in China Experimental Fast Reactor.
As the first sodium cooled fast reactor in China, China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) has many characteristics, such as high power rating, high neutron flux and high neutron leakage as its hard spectrum. These leakage neutrons can be used to produce 89Sr by fast neutrons (n, p) reaction. By means of some special designs, including designing optimized target assembly, choosing reasonable irradiation location and appropriate irradiation cycle length, in order to improve specific activity of 89Sr. The MNCP code was used to the calculations coupled ORIGRN2 procedure. The higher activity of 89Sr can be obtained by these optimization designs, so it is feasible to produce 89Sr in the fuel region of CEFR.
Radionuclide production using a fast flux reactor
The production of 89Sr, (32,33)P, 35S via the (n, p)-reaction, and 117mSn, 153Gd via the (n, gamma)-reaction using the BOR-60 fast flux reactor was experimentally studied. Test samples were irradiated in the active core of the BOR-60 reactor with fast neutron flux of 1 x 10(15) cm(-2) s(-1) for 40-100 effective days. Gadolinium-153 was produced in a radial blanket cell, characterized by a modified ("softened") neutron spectrum. Data on target materials, procedure of irradiated target reprocessing, radionuclide yield, and specific activity are summarized in the report. The results of the experiment showed that large-scale production of the radionuclides listed above is possible using a fast-flux reactor.
Experimental investigation of the geotechnical properties and microstructure of lime-stabilized saline soils under freeze-thaw cycling
Abstract The Song-Nen Plain in northeastern China holds one of the three largest expanses of soda saline-alkali soil in the world. Due to its disadvantageous geotechnical properties, the saline soil in this area is unable to meet the needs of construction projects. This study evaluates the stabilizing effect of adding lime to such soils. Specifically, it investigates how the physicochemical and mechanical properties and microstructure of soda saline-alkali soil are altered by lime and how these changes are affected by both freeze-thaw cycling and the duration of curing. The results reveal that adding lime to saline soil transforms clay particles into sand and silt particles and causes the pore size distribution (PSD) to become bimodal, with small-pore and macropore populations. An increase in lime content leads to an increase in the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) but a gradual decrease in both the cation exchange capacity (CEC) and plastic index. Freeze-thaw cycles break up coarse particles and aggregate finer particles, increasing the diameter of macropores and decreasing the USC; however, the effect on specimens with >9% lime is negligible. It is further shown that the geotechnical properties of the soil change immediately after the addition of lime, indicating that the cation exchange reaction takes place very quickly. Furthermore, the pozzolanic reaction leads to an increase in the percentage of sand-sized particles and a decrease in porosity after 28 days of curing. Overall, these results indicate that it is feasible to use lime to improve the engineering properties of soda saline-alkali soil in this area.