HIE-ISOLDE: Baseline Design of a Solid Neutron Converter Driven by 160 MeV Protons

The European Isotope Separation On-Line Radioactive Ion Beam Facility Design Study (EURISOL DS) aims at the design of several spallation and fission targets for the production of radioactive isotopes. Namely, direct targets, where high-energy protons interact directly with the fission targets, as well as the design of a Multi-MW proton-to-neutron converter coupled with a fission target. For the later, several options have been proposed, including the use of a relatively low energy (in the hundreds of MeV) high intensity proton beam. In this scope, the neutronic characteristics of a tantalum n-converter/fission-target system have been established (although not yet optimised) for a reference proton energy of 160 MeV. A set of simulations has been carried out for different design requirements and different characteristics of the proton beam. An extensive comparison of the main physical parameters has also been carried out, in order to allow the optimal engineering design of the whole target station.