High heat removal technique for a lithium neutron generation target used for an accelerator-driven BNCT system

Accelerator-driven neutron sources have been developed worldwide for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) instead of nuclear reactors. Nagoya University is currently developing a compact DC accelerator driven BNCT system using a sealed lithium (Li) target. The target receives a high heat load by a proton beam, and the heat then requires efficient removal. This study developed a high-efficiency heat removal technique that uses V-shaped staggered ribs on the heat removal side of the flow channels. We performed experiments using an electron beam to confirm the technique performance. The results showed double the heat removal performance compared to the smooth surface channel. The value expected to sufficiently remove 6.6 MW/m² of heat load provided by the proton beam at the Nagoya University neutron source for BNCT.