Design and characterization of high power targets for RIB generation

In this article, thermal modeling techniques are used to simulate ISOL targets irradiated with high power proton beams. Beam scattering effects, nuclear reactions and beam power deposition distributions in the target were computed with the Monte Carlo simulation code, GEANT4. The power density information was subsequently used as input to the finite element thermal analysis code, ANSYS, for extracting temperature distribution information for a variety of target materials. The principal objective of the studies was to evaluate techniques for more uniformly distributing beam deposited heat over the volumes of targets to levels compatible with their irradiation with the highest practical primary-beam power, and to use the preferred technique to design high power ISOL targets. The results suggest that radiation cooling, in combination, with primary beam manipulation, can be used to control temperatures in practically sized targets, to levels commensurate with irradiation with 1 GeV, 100 kW proton beams