Post-irradiation examination of a prototype tantalum-clad target for the Beam Dump Facility at CERN

The Beam Dump Facility (BDF) is a planned fixed-target installation in CERN's North Area, set to start operating in 2031. A proton beam of 400 GeV/c will be delivered in 1 s pulses of 4e13 protons every 7.2 s, amounting to 4e19 protons on target (PoT) per year, with an average thermal power deposition of 305 kW. The experiment requires high-Z and high-density materials and involves challenging thermomechanical conditions; hence, a water-cooled refractory metal core is proposed. To prevent corrosion and erosion, the target materials - tungsten and a molybdenum-based alloy, TZM-, are clad with a tantalum alloy using hot isostatic pressing. To verify the reliability of the target design and manufacturing process, a reduced-scale prototype target was manufactured and irradiated with 2.4e16 PoT in 2018. This paper presents the findings of the post-irradiation examination (PIE) conducted 2.5 years later. The PIE consisted of non-destructive and destructive activities, including film imaging, microscopy, metrology, ultrasonic testing, microstructural analysis, and mechanical and thermal characterization. No irradiation effects resulting from thermal stresses, such as geometrical changes or cracks in the cladding, were observed, and it was determined that the bonding between the core and cladding materials was robust. Moreover, no changes were detected in the microstructures or mechanical properties of the bulk materials. In conclusion, the robustness of the target baseline design and manufacturing process was confirmed, validating its suitability for operating under the desired conditions. Nonetheless, the observed brittleness of sintered tungsten indicates a potential area for improvement to enhance the lifetime of the BDF target. Overall, the examinations provided valuable insights into the performance of the prototype and indicated potential refinements for the future BDF target complex.