Design of an aluminum proton beam window for the Spallation Neutron Source

An aluminum proton beam window design is being considered at the Spallation Neutron Source primarily to increase the lifetime of the window, with secondary advantages of higher beam transport efficiency and lower activation. The window separates the core vessel, the location of the mercury target, from the vacuum of the accelerator, while withstanding the penetration of a proton beam of up to 2 MW with 1.0 GeV proton energy. The current aluminum alloy being investigated for the window material is 6061-T651 due to its combination of high strength, high thermal conductivity, and good resistance to aqueous corrosion, as well as demonstrated dependability in previous high-radiation environments. The window design will feature a thin plate with closely spaced cross drilled cooling holes. An analytical approach was used to optimize the dimensions of the window before finite element analysis was used to simulate temperature profiles and stress fields resulting from thermal and static pressure loading. The resulting maximum temperature of 60°C and Von Mises stress of 71 MPa are very low compared to allowable levels for Al 6061-T651. A significant challenge in designing an aluminum proton beam window for SNS is integrating the window with the current 316L SS shield blocks. Explosion bonding was chosen as a joining technique because of the large bonding area required. A test program has commenced to prove explosion bonding can produce a robust vacuum joint. Pending successful explosion bond testing, the aluminum proton beam window design will be proven acceptable for service in the Spallation Neutron Source.