Research on Conversion Characteristics of Producing 252Cf in High Flux Reactor

The large-scale production of 252Cf mainly depends on irradiating targets in high flux reactor. The production of 252Cf has the characteristics of complex conversion chain，more intermediate nuclides and remarkable fission losses of target feedstock，which brings great challenges to further improve the production of 252Cf. The factors affecting 252Cf production were analyzed，including neutron flux level，neutron energy spectrum distribution，target type and structure，etc. The study shows that neutron flux and energy spectrum distribution have a significant impact on 252Cf’s amounts，and the output could be further improved by utilizing target with heavy nuclei or the target in annular shape. The results could provide references for irradiation scheme design of producing 252Cf in high flux reactors.