Physics Experimental Study for Reactor of In-hospital Neutron Irradiator

In-hospital neutron irradiator (IHNI) is specially designed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The reactor with thermal power 30 kW is an undermoderated reactor of pool-tank type, and UO₂ with enrichment of 12.5% as fuel, light water as coolant and moderator, and metallic beryllium as reflector. The fission heat produced by the reactor is removed by the natural convection. On the both sides of the reactor core, there are two neutron beams, one is thermal neutron beam, and the other opposite to the thermal beam, is epithermal neutron beam. The critical mass, worth of the control rod, worth of the top Be reflectors, and other component worth were measured on the zero power experiment equipment of miniature neutron source reactor.