The ESS (European Spallation Source) will be the most powerful neutron source in the world. The increased intensity of neutron beams obtained by the spallation method and through the development of new observation methods will allow scientists to analyse and understand phenomena occurring on an atomic and molecular level. Construction of the ESS in Lund should begin soon, with a view to its being commissioned at the end of the decade.
IRFU (Institute for Research on the Fundamental Laws of the Universe) contributed to the preparatory phase of the project, most notably by helping to estimate the quantity and types of waste generated by the spallation target and by evaluating the cost of dismantling the ESS installation. This study also demonstrated the importance of the choice of target type in view of its impact on the subsequent dismantling cost.
Figure 1: Schematic representation of the solid W-Ta target modelled for computational purposes. Overall view of the rotating target (above) and the detail of the constituent materials (below)
