Target Station

Below the SINQ-target station, the proton beam is diverted by bending magnets vertically upwards from underneath into the heavy metal target. The target is situated in the center tube of the heavy water moderator tank. For most of its users, SINQ resembles a medium flux research reactor from outside, since the neutron beams are extracted from a heavy water moderator surrounding the target. The vertical proton beam injection allows a maximun number of horizontal beam tubes and neutron guides to the SINQ-instruments.

The target rig is suspended from the upper edge of the target shielding block, which consists of steel and concrete. The target rig is inserted and removed by a shielded exchange flask from the top and after removal of the concrete shielding blocks on top of the target station. Besides the shielding block, the target station contains cooling systems for the target, target enclosure and beam window, the moderator, light water reflector, shielding and the cold neutron source.