Investigation of beam window buckling with consideration of irradiation effects for conceptual ADS design

The investigation of the beam window, which is a key component in the conceptual design of an Accelerator Driven System, has been performed. In the past studies, it was found that buckling failure due to hydrostatic pressure in the liquid lead bismuth was critical failure mode for the beam window and detailed structural analyses were performed. These investigations, however, did not consider irradiation effects by neutrons and protons. In this study, investigations based on the latest knowledge for irradiation effects obtained in the spallation target irradiation program are presented. By using the experimental data, it was found that the buckling pressure increased about 80% by the irradiation (20 dpa). It was assumed that if the beam window had integrity in the unirradiated condition, the buckling failure would not be critical issue during the ADS operation.