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J-PARC Project Newsletter
_______ No.30 , October 2007_______
Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex under construction jointly by
the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and the High Energy Accelerator
Research Organization (KEK) http://j-parc.jp/index-e.html
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HEADLINES AND CONTENTS
1. <<Overview>>
NEW ROLE FOR THE USERS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE.
FOLLOW UP OF THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR JFY2008.
RESPONSE TO THE THIRD REVIEW ON J-PARC BY THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE.
OFFICE SPACE IN FRONT OF JAEA.
NEW TRUSTEES WERE APPOINTED AT JAEA.
PROGRESS IN THE ACCELERATOR DEVELOPMENT.
2. <<Accelerator Group>>
THE RCS STARTED THE BEAM COMMISSIONING AS SCHEDULED
3. <<Control Group>>
INTERLOCK SYSTEMS ARE READY FOR THE BEAM COMMISSIONING OF THE RCS
4. <<Neutron Science Group >>
(Materials & Life Science Experimental Facility Group)
ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MAXIMUM FLOW RATE OF 50m^3/hr IN THE MERCURY
CIRCULATION TEST OF THE TARGET SYSTEM.
A LARGE VACUUM SCATTERING CHAMBER ( 22m^3) FOR 4SEASONS WAS CARRIED IN
THE MLF FACILITY
5. <<Nuclear Transmutation Group>>
LIQUID LEAD BISMUTH PUMPED OUT FROM JLBL-1 AND INSUFFICIENT RELIABILITY
OF NUCLEAR DATA ON MA FOR ADS - FR DESIGNS
6. <<Radiation Safety Group>>
APPLICATION FOR 50 GeV SYNCHROTRON OPERATION LICENSE SUBMITTED TO MEXT
7. <<Announcement of Symposia and Meetings>>
8. <<Editorial Note>>
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1. <<Overview>> By Shoji NAGAMIYA
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NEW ROLE FOR THE USERS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE.
During the summer time, active discussions were held on the issue
of how to include the voice from the communities in the master plan of
J-PARC after the start of J-PARC operation. In each community
discussions were held. The high energy physics committee proposed to
create a new committee under the J-PARC Council to discuss this issue.
After extensive discussions among the communities, the final
conclusion is to conduct this type of discussion at the existing User
Consultative Committee, by adding a new function to this committee.
Selection of new committee members is underway. After the members
are solicited ( which will occur by the end of October ), this committee
will start discussions of a grand design ( master plan ) of the J-PARC
after its completion in 2008.
FOLLOW UP OF THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR JFY2008.
After we submitted our budget request to the funding agency, the
Ministry of Education, etc. and Technology ( MEXT ) sent almost our full
budget request to the Finance Department at the end of August.
Presently, the review at the Finance Department is underway. This year
an oral presentation to the Council of Science and Technology Policy
(CSTP) was not held for J-PARC, since this CSTP ranked the J-PARC at "A"
last year.
On the other hand, the above news does not mean that our budget
status for JFY2008 is smooth. Instead, a significant and severe
evaluation will be made within a month or so. The final answer will be
given at the end of December. Since we requested a significant increase
in the operational budget for the next year, the funding agency is
presently working very hard to accommodate out request.
RESPONSE TO THE THIRD REVIEW ON J-PARC BY THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE.
As described in the previous Newsletter, a long review on the
J-PARC by the Government Committee was held. The J-PARC Center read its
report carefully and started to list action items. For example, the
J-PARC Center must start to prepare a detailed plan for the usage of the
neutron and muon beam lines. The J-PARC also has to start a reevaluation
of a long-term operational budget. The J-PARC Center created many
working groups to discuss action items in response to the Committee
report.
OFFICE SPACE IN FRONT OF JAEA.
The Local Government, Ibaraki Prefecture, is now working very hard
to prepare a new office space for users of J-PARC in front of the JAEA
campus. The floor plan is under discussion. If everything goes well, a
large office space will be available from the end of 2008. More news
will come in a later issue of this Newsletter.
NEW TRUSTEES WERE APPOINTED AT JAEA.
On October 1st a few trustees were replaced by new members.
Among them, the J-PARC related persons are as follows: Dr. H. Yokomizo
is now responsible to J-PARC and Dr. S. Okada is responsible to the
Quantum Beam Directorate that includes the neutron research at J-PARC.
PROGRESS IN THE ACCELERATOR DEVELOPMENT.
The most important highlight during the last month is an impressive
development of the accelerator. The accelerator group is now trying to
inject beams from the Linac to 3 GeV. At around the time when this
Newsletter is published, the injection of the beams might have already
succeeded. For details, see the article written by Y. Yamazaki in this
Newsletter.
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2. <<Accelerator Group>> by Yoshishige YAMAZAKI
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THE RCS STARTED THE BEAM COMMISSIONING AS SCHEDULED
We are now at one of the most exciting times in the project.
Exactly as scheduled, we started the beam commissioning of the 3-GeV
Rapid-Cycling Synchrotron ( RCS ) in the run starting September 10th.
All of the accelerator components of the RCS were ready by that time,
although the two ceramic vacuum chambers had some problems at the last
moment. One of them was repaired, while the other can be used for the
time being, that is, during the low beam current stage. The linac was
again in operation and the beam was successfully transported from the
linac to the RCS on October 2nd. During that time, one incident happened
at the charge-exchange foil system. The gate valve was abnormally closed
and did not detect the remaining foil-replacement system, which was
broken in the incident. While this system is under repair, we resumed
the beam commissioning as follows. First, the H-minus beam was
transported to the H-0 dump located at the injection section of the RCS
on October 4th without the broken foil system, well simulating the
behavior of the H-minus beam. Then, making use of the two week scheduled
shut down, the foil with fixed support system instead of the broken
replacing mechanism will be installed, and the charge-exchange injection
to the RCS will be tested in the run starting on October 22nd. In
parallel with the ongoing beam tests, the foil-replacement system will
be repaired for beam power increase.
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3. <<Control Group>> by Noboru YAMAMOTO
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INTERLOCK SYSTEMS ARE READY FOR THE BEAM COMMISSIONING OF THE RCS
PPS ( Personnel Protection System ) is an interlock system to
protect a person from radiation hazard during the accelerator operation.
Prior to the beam commissioning of the RCS ( 3GeV Rapid Cycling
Synchrotron ), the PPS of the RCS has been integrated during the
shutdown period this summer with that of the Linac, which is already in
operation since last year. This interlock system was inspected by the
authority on September 5 and 6, and permission was issued for the
radiation controlled area and the beam commissioning of the RCS. The
controlled area was set on Sep. 25 as scheduled. The MPS ( Machine
Protection System ) is another interlock system for the prevention of
unexpected beam loss and troubles of the accelerator components. The MPS
of the RCS needs to handle thousands of signals from the accelerator
components. The proper operation of the MPS was confirmed by the start
of the beam commissioning on Oct. 1. Consoles have been set up in the
RCS timing equipment room for the beam commissioning of the RCS. The
software development is being focused for data acquisition of the beam
instruments of the RCS.
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4. <<Neutron Science Group>> by Yujiro IKEDA (Materials & Life Science
Experimental Facility Group)
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ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MAXIMUM FLOW RATE OF 50m^3/hr IN THE MERCURY
CIRCULATION TEST OF THE TARGET SYSTEM.
A LARGE VACUUM SCATTERING CHAMBER ( 22m^3) FOR 4SEASONS WAS CARRIED IN
THE MLF FACILITY
1) Neutron Source Facility Construction and Test
For the proton beam transport from the 3GeV synchrotron to the MLF
facility, all the beam line components have been aligned within ±0.1mm
precision, assuring the readiness requirements for beam acceptance.
Also, in an integrated test with the 3GeV synchrotron on August 19,
2007, all systems for the beam transport, e.g. beam monitors,
diagnostics, electric power system, water cooling system, and vacuum
system, have satisfied the design specifications.
After installation of the mercury target system, we have started
the functional tests for system. Each step of the remote handling
movement for the target container exchange has been demonstrated to
operate as designed. In the mercury circulation test, we have achieved
the maximum flow rate of 50m^3/hr, and demonstrated continuous operation
for 12 hrs with a normal operation condition of 41m^3/hr.
The airtight confinement of the target station with ceiling shield
blocks was achieved by putting silicon filler into gaps. We have also
started a demonstration test of the remote handling procedure for the
moderators and reflector exchange.
2) Neutron Instrumentation
Construction is underway on the IBARAKI Materials Design
Diffractometer ( BL20 ), Super High Resolution Powder Diffractometer (
BL08,~100m length ) and 4D Space Access Neutron Spectrometer ( 4SEASONS,
BL01). A vacuum scattering chamber ( 22m^3 ) for 4SEASONS was moved into
the MLF facility.
Development of data analysis software for inelastic neutron
scattering was started between JAEA and a Korean group ( HANARO ).
Development of pulsed high magnetic fields equipment was started mainly
by the Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University by
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research. The power supply was moved into
the MLF facility. Characteristic experiments of a mortar shield
including boron carbide, which is thought to have better absorbing
properties than prior shielding, is proceeding with a private company.
The application of licensing for radiation protection for the
neutron scattering instruments ( IBARAKI Biological Crystal
Diffractometer ( Ibaraki pref. ), IBARAKI Materials Design
Diffractometer ( Ibaraki pref. ), 4D Space Access Neutron Spectrometer (
JAEA ), Nuclear Engineering Instrument ( Hokkaido University ), Super
High Resolution Powder Diffractometer ( KEK ), Test Beam Line ( NOBORU,
JAEA ), Engineering Diffractometer ( JAEA ), Cold-Neutron Double-Disk
Chopper Spectrometer ( JAEA ) is proceeding for the first beam of May,
2008. Versatile High Intensity Total Diffractometer to study hydrogen
storage alloys was funded by the New Energy Development
Organization(NEDO). It is a program of five years from 2007.
3) Neutron Device Development
As for the neutron scintillator detectors for the engineering
diffractometer in J-PARC, which is developed under collaboration with
ISIS, a novel method to connect PMTs to the main body of the detector
was tested from the viewpoint of optical and electric shielding. The
overall design for the detector was drafted and manufacturing of the
first detector has been started. A two-dimensional position sensitive
gas detector using a micro-pixel detection head was tested at a
californium-252 neutron source facility. The developed detector system
exhibited a spatial resolution of about 2mm with a gas pressure of 4.5
atm helium with 0.5 atm CF4.
A load-lock chamber which allows the deposition chamber to be kept
at high vacuum and assure high quality of neutron mirrors, has been
installed on the large scale ion beam sputtering instrument. This
equipment allows for shorter deposition and the production rate can be
increased. NiC/Ti supermirrors with large critical angles of m=3, 4, and
6 and large area of 40cm x 10cm have been successfully deposited.
The reflectivities of the supermirrors ( Si substrates ) are 0.87, 0.80
and 0.43 at each critical angle. The installation and alignment plan of
neutron guide tubes is being studied for the design of the neutron guide
jackets.
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5. <<Nuclear Transmutation Group>>by Kenji Kikuchi
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LIQUID LEAD BISMUTH PUMPED OUT FROM JLBL-1 AND INSUFFICIENT
RELIABILITY OF NUCLEAR DATA ON MA FOR ADS - FR DESIGNS
As for the lead bismuth eutectic spallation target development, a
liquid lead bismuth in the material corrosion loop ( JLBL-1: JAEA Lead
Bismuth Loop-1 ) was evacuated from the loop and solidified in the pans
successfully in order to prepare sampling for examining the diluted main
elements from the steel after eighteen thousand hours run. Chemical
analyses will quantify dissolved and precipitated impurities in lead
bismuth. Hitherto precipitated elements or mass transfer in the
circulating closed loop was reported but more comprehensive data will be
shown. As for the Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility ( TEF-P ),
the effectiveness of critical and subcritical experiments using minor
actinide fuels are being investigated in terms of the design accuracy of
accelerator-driven systems ( ADS ) and fast reactors ( FR ) for the
transmutation of long-lived radioactive wastes. The integral validation
of the nuclear data of minor actinides ( MA ) seems necessary for both
ADS and FR because of the insufficient reliability of nuclear data.
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6. <<Radiation Safety Group>> by Taichi MIURA and Hiroshi NAKASHIMA
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APPLICATION FOR 50 GeV SYNCHROTRON OPERATION LICENSE SUBMITTED TO MEXT
Applications for licenses of the 50 GeV synchrotron operation and
the Materials and Life Science Facility ( MLF ) were submitted to the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ( MEXT )
on September 27, 2007. For these applications and the regulations on
protection from radiation hazards of J-PARC, the 9th Safety Deliberative
Committee on Radiation Safety of J-PARC and the 3rd Radiation Safety
Committee of J-PARC met to discuss the radiation safety scheme, on July
30. Before the submission, these applications were approved by the
Tokai-Village Municipal and Ibaraki Prefecture Governments on September
20.
After receiving the license for 3GeV synchrotron operation on June
29, the approval for the operation was also granted from the local
governments on July 30. Together with this license, other
applications: LINAC power increase, radiation controlled areas for
radioactive materials in the neutron, muon, hadron, and neutrino beam
line facilities, were also granted.
Before accelerating beam in the 3GeV synchrotron, an inspection by
the Nuclear Safety Technology Center ( NUSTEC ) was conducted on
September 5 and 6, and the certificate was issued. The beam acceleration
is ready now at any time from the point of view of the operation
license.
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7. Announcement of Symposia and Meetings
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Neutron Target Technology Advisory Committee (NTAC)
27-29 February 2008
International Advisory Committee (IAC)
3-4 March 2008
The First J-PARC International Symposium International Symposium on
Pulsed Neutron and Muon Sciences (IPS 08) March 5-7, 2008
Contact: H Takada, K Nakajima
e-mail: IPS08@ml.j-parc.jp
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8. <<Editorial Note>>
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Editorial Board:
Masatoshi ARAI (chair): masatoshi.arai@j-parc.jp Yujiro IKEDA:
yujiro.ikeda@jaea.go.jp Nobuo OUCHI: nobuo.ouchi@jaea.go.jp Shinya
SAWADA: shinya.sawada@kek.jp Toshifumi TSUKAMOTO
toshifumi.tsukamoto@kek.jp English Editor: Dick Mischke
mischke@triumf.ca
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