Speaker
Description
The Budapest Neutron Centre (BNC) is a complex neutron facility dedicated primarily to non-destructive materials research and neutron irradiation. The neutron source itself is a 10 MW research reactor with the highest neutron beam flux in Central Europe. It operates a wide range of instruments installed at the reactor’s horizontal beam channels, as well as in vertical channels located within the core and reflector regions for irradiation.
The large-scale experimental infrastructure surrounding the reactor supports both fundamental and applied research, serving a diverse user community from across Europe. The Hungarian user community alone comprises approximately 200 scientists, with an annual scientific output exceeding one hundred peer-reviewed publications. The BNC also supports international training courses with hands-on activity in neutron scattering, reflectomery, diffraction an imaging.
The talk will present a selection of outstanding results, highlighting how combining different neutron techniques—and even synchrotron methods—can significantly enhance research outcomes.
The Centre is also an active partner of the European Spallation Source (ESS), contributing to the testing of neutron guides and detectors, as well as to neutronic and shielding design. In addition, a dedicated engineering team is coordinating the manufacturing of seven casks equipped with hoisting systems, which will be used to safely remove highly radioactive components from the monolith during maintenance operations and final decommissioning.