A CFD analysis of the rotating target holder of the 14-MeV neutron generator

An accelerator based 14-MeV neutron generator is installed at Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar to generate high energy neutrons by using a water-cooled rotating tritium target. In this device, neutrons would be generated from the nuclear reaction ³H(D, n)⁴He by bombarding accelerated deuterium ions on a solid tritium target. The rotating target holder mainly consists of a rotating copper disc water-cooled case mounted on the rotating shaft. The high-energy deuterium ion beam impacted on solid TiT target fitted on the copper case imparting its energy to the case. This energy is taken away from the system through the water passing through the annulus cavity of the shaft. This paper presents details of the engineering CFD (computed fluid dynamics) analysis carried out for optimizing two important parameters of the rotating target. Firstly optimization of the location of flow parameters of the water as mass flow rate and Secondly optimization of speed of the rotating target and the design of fins inside the copper case.